Eloise: The Absolutely Essential Edition

by Kay Thompson, Hilary Knight (Illustrator), Marie Brenner (Contributor)

Here is everything you need to know about Eloise who is celebrating her 50th anniversary though she is still not a day over six. In the front of this book we have printed the original Eloise story & pictures and in the back of it there are sketches and stories by Mr. Hilary Knight (the Artist) and photographs of Miss Kay Thompson when she was young and fabulous and rawther like Eloise and absolutely loads of informationthat you simply cawn't cawn't cawn't get anywhere else. Here's the thing: Whether you are just about to fall in love with Eloise or have already baked her a cake you ought to have this book. (Charge it please and thank you very much.)

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Classics, Humor, Juvenile, New York

80 pages, Hardcover

Published October 25, 2005

About the author

Kay Thompson (1909–1998) was an American author, composer, musician, actress and singer. She is best remembered as the creator of the Eloise children's books.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would the Plaza Hotel be without Eloise? I recently read A Magical New York Christmas: A Novel in which two people fall in love at the Plaza Hotel. Eloise was mentioned many times in the book and I just had to revisit her story. This 50th Anniversary Edition is the way to do exactly that. After reading the original picture book with Kay Thompson's witty depiction of Eloise and Hilary Knight's spot on illustrations, there is a scrapbook bonus. Included are "The Story of Eloise" as told by Marie Brenner complete with photos and sketches from Kay's life and the evolution of Eloise. Also inside is "The Story of Hilary Knight: An evolution in his own words and pictures." This book came out in 2005 when Eloise turned 50. Now that we are almost through 2021, Eloise is old enough to retire. Hopefully she never will. On the back of this edition are quotes from iconic figures in the entertainment, newspaper, and publishing world. This one from Maurice Sendak (enormously famous artist) is one of my favorites: My first happy response to Eloise was entirely due to the brilliant, iconic images. That brazen, loose-limbed delicious little girl monster if Hilary Knight at his best. Thank you, Mr. Sendak. RIP.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

The frenetically active Eloise, once described by Maurice Sendak as a "little girl monster," made her debut in 1955 in this eponymous chronicle of her many adventures at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, where her antics kept the staff (and her nanny) on their toes. Possessed of a seemingly inexhaustible supply of energy, Eloise liked to ride up and down the elevators, make noise in the hallways, and enjoy room service with Nanny. A six-year-old with a mind of her own, and with very decided tastes, she was never at a loss for something to keep her occupied...

Like Madeline , or Harold of the Purple Crayon , Eloise is one of those beloved picture-book characters that I somehow missed reading as a girl reader. I have no childhood memory of her, and with her shenanigans, I'm sure I would have! Read for The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is "Classic Picture-Book Characters," Eloise is a book I couldn't help enjoying, even as I groaned at its heroine's behavior. My sympathy is with the employees who have to put up with this pint-sized terror - anyone who has worked retail, or in the service industry, probably has some horror stories to share when it comes to being made to put up with bad behavior from poorly supervised children - but my affection is with their tormenter. Eloise has such a strong voice, such an obvious sense of herself, that I couldn't help but enjoy her antics. In fact, I think that the very things which would make her impossible to deal with in real life - the lack of adult supervision, the insistence upon doing anything and everything she likes - make her story into a wonderful childhood fantasy. She seems to have appeared during a period when the naughty girl, the one who is not reformed in the course of the story - think Ramona Quimby, Junie B. Jones, and Ivy and Bean - began to be such a popular figure.

All in all, an enjoyable read, one that I am glad to have finally gotten to. This edition, created for the 50th Anniversary of the character, includes an afterword about the author and illustrator, providing some fascinating background information about their creative partnership. Recommended to young readers who like stories about trouble-making girls. For my part, I think I will continue on to the next Eloise book...

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first fell in love with Eloise upon discovering the Eloise at Christmastime movie when I was a teenager. It was a Christmas movie dream: Julie Andrews! New York City! A pug!

I remember sitting on the library floor the next day, reading Eloise at the Plaza for the first (and only) time. Teenage me lived for New York City, so to see this little ball of sass live out my Plaza dreams, while being delightfully annoying and charming, was endearing. I fell in love with the character as many others had before. I also wondered how I had missed her during my childhood!

After watching Eloise at Christmastime this season, I stumbled upon a copy of the 50th Anniversary of Eloise (also, mindblown that Eloise came out in 1955?!?!), with the story and a scrapbook about the making of the character.

“Eloise hit at a moment when class and status were changing quickly. She was an altogether thrilling new heroine, an antidote to Heidi the drip, and the peppy, but sappy Nancy Drew.”

I was happy to reread the adventures of Eloise, but to also get a deeper understanding of her creator and illustrator. The scrapbook portion of the anniversary edition has some interesting tidbits. This book was the perfect first read of 2019.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patron complaint: Eloise goes to a museum in Paris and sees a painting of a naked person.

I actually agree with the patron's assertion that the book should be placed in the junior fiction, instead of in picture books--but not because there are cartoon boobs. Mostly I just think the writing is too sophisticated for younger readers. In fact, why not shelve it in the adult section, along with Junie B. Jones, because those books are also hilarious, I think.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never read Eloise as a child.
It was probably banned in Alvin.
Eloise is a six year old girl
who lives in the Plaza Hotel
in New York City, with a mostly
absent mom and an indulgent set
of servants to care for her.

There is something
appealing about Eloise, but there
is also something very appaling, too.
Eloise is American, living free,
unrestricted, doing everything she
wants, enjoying her life, with little
care about anything outside her world.
Am I being too judgmental here? After
all, this is a children's book.

[danni ! · Rating 4 out of 5]

roommate told me to read this book before going on my trip to NYC

very cute book :)

[LuAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think people wouldn’t get so upset with this book if they knew that the author did not intend this to be a children’s book as the history of the illustrator Hilary Knight at illustration history dot org explains! But the book does appeal to children and bookstores have long classified out as such.

The scrapbook giving the history of the author and circumstances of the creation of this book make the book more meaningful to me. It also makes me think that author Kay Thompson would get a kick out of people taking the book so seriously they have to name call a fictional six year old character and get their knickers in a twist over the comedy of the book!

While I did not read Eloise as a child nor do I think it’s great, I can see that it’s a wonderful marriage of story and illustrations and that it would be funny to a “normal” kid who would recognize that Eloise gets away with all sorts of things they couldn’t. Now I want to visit the plaza and see the painting, brass plaque and Palm Court for myself.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if I've ever read Eloise before - but - one thing leads to another....
And I love her!!

A very fun physical copy for my library

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I read the Scrapbook edition, because without knowing the intention and purpose behind the creation of Eloise, my review would have reflected poorly on the original story that was written in the 1950s.

Written over 60 years ago, Eloise was originally valued for being an independent girl with a bold and lively vocabulary, mimicked from her creator, Kay Thompson. It was unheard of that a little girl could romp around a fancy hotel, and no one would scold her, while she played out every adventure that came to mind. She was inspiring and fun, helping many girls/women of that time see the possibilities of being daring and outspoken.

Reading Eloise in 2019, she comes off as an entitled little girl with no discipline, her antics causing more foul than fun at the expense of everyone around her. Some references in the story are antiquated- there's no frame of reference for a child in 2019.

Review from a grown-up: either read Eloise with the understanding that it was written in the 1950s and intentionally about wildly breaking out of societal molds OR read it, preparing to discuss with your child how NOT to behave in public nowadays.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow, I never read this as a child. (Or if I did, I'd forgotten the story.) The subtitle is 'A book for precocious grown ups.' I'd agree with that. I don't know that I would have liked this when I was younger. I bet that I would have perceived this more as a story about a place than about the child. Life in a big hotel in NYC. Of course Eloise acted out, she was bored, even though on page 48, the reader learns that ...

Getting bored is not allowed
Sometimes I comb my hair with a fork
Sometimes I wear my arm in a sling
Sometimes I put a rubber band on the end of my nose

Yep, this child doesn't live in a healthy environment, and she searched desperately for ways to entertain herself. I wouldn't have envied her. This story is a good example of atrocious parenting.

This edition has a 16-page 'scrapbook' with information about the author and the artist. Kay Thompson was a performer, and Eloise grew out of her imagination, which explains many things about the storyline. I appreciated learning about the author. (This section merits 4 stars.)

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eloise is subtitled 'A Book for Precocious Grown Ups'. Whilst I'm loath to adhere to the first category, I certainly fit that of 'grown up'. I hadn't read this volume as a child, so when I spotted it online, I was keen to start reading (it provided a welcome break from modernity, that's for sure). It would have appealed to me so much as a child, but the adult within me still enjoyed it, and I very much liked the art style. It was really nothing akin to what I was expecting, which made it a mildly surprising and quite satisfying read. Now, back to the adult books.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, which definitely weren't met. Eloise is the story of a spoiled girl who lives in a New York hotel with a nanny (her mother is absent without any explanation) and whose obnoxious exploits go completely unchecked. Her brattiness is irritating and her frequent, casual use of "my Lord" and "oh my Lord" is offensive. I would never read these to my daughter or want her to read them herself. We'll stick with Madeline.

[nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, obviously.

I read Eloise for the first time at the tender age of twenty-two. Like Dr. Seuss, Eloise is a genre unto itself, with a style of language and drawing that can't be replicated. Sure, you can look at Eloise as a spoiled brat... or you can shut up and enjoy it. Fold-out elevator route-o-terror? What's to not love about that?

[Mamie Anthoine Ney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, what a treat from my childhood! (I don't remember why, but my mom used to call me Eloise!)
However reading this as an adult really tamps down the original excitement of the book as it's really sad because her parents have left her alone.

No Matter what Eloise's adventures are still wonderful!

[Matt Sheffield · Rating 2 out of 5]

#64 - 1001 Children's Books To Read Before You Grow Up

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always surprised when I hear adults say this was their favorite book when they were children. I adored Hilary knight from my childhood, and I rawther like Eloise as an adult, but I detested her as a child. I couldn't understand why she would be so horrible to those around her and why, with all the tremendously adventure-laden facets of the Plaza, she would choose to squander them with her rude nonsense. I get it now. And with a little help from the history in the back matter of this edition, I think I see even more clearly the why behind Eloise's creation. Perhaps I had bad experiences with my peers who treated me a bit too much like a concierge. Or that I was a little too close to the adults in my life to take for granted their mistreatment. Or perhaps I, like Eloise, felt superior in my judgement. Regardless of my own experience, Hilary Knight's work in the creation of the character we know today is remarkable, arresting, and timeless.

[Beth Weiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow… what a fascinating history of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, the creators of Eloise. Somehow this book never made it onto my shelf when I was young, but discovering it now feels like a treat. It chronicles the life of Kay Thompson, a woman with extraordinary talent and boundless imagination. When paired with Hilary Knight—another gifted artist whose creativity perfectly complemented hers—Eloise was born. Decades later, she remains an enduring icon of Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel.

[Jordan Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read this book since I was a kid. I just had the pleasure of reading it to my daughter. And I have never felt so much nostalgia hit me all at once. I love sharing things I loved as a child with my children. I cannot explain the joy and love that flows between us sharing this bond of books we now both get to grow up reading and rereading.

[Karen Gedeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The original Junie B. Jones. The 60th Anniversary edition includes a scrapbook by the illustrator (Hilary Knight) which contains photos, drawings and a biography of both Kay Thompson and Eloise. A must read for any Junie B. Jones fans, a must have for any Eloise fans.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing blast from my childhood. I loved Eloise as a kid, and I absolutely adored having Bernadette Peters read these stories to me on my way to and from work. I hope to get to the Plaza one day to live my Eloise dream. Charge it please, thank you very much ❤️❤️

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The girls found Eloise hilarious and I loved the biographical info at the end.

[Catherine L Puff · Rating 5 out of 5]

My youngest daughters favorite book

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a special edition of the classic Eloise that contains extra information about the book and its author. Eloise is a little girl who lives in the fancy Plaza Hotel with family, her Nanny, a pug dog named Weenie, and a turtle named Skipperdee. Eloise spends her days exploring the rooms in the Plaza, playing in the elevator, and doing other things that are fun to her but annoy the adults in the hotel. I love the illustrations and story, especially the fold out of Eloise's elevator shenanigans. This book is lots of fun for kids who will find six-year-old Eloise's narration relatable. As a kid, I wanted to live in the Plaza like Eloise and experience all of the fun that she had there. Rereading this book as an adult, I noticed that the book is longer than I remember. That makes it best as a read aloud for one adult and one child together. This special edition contains a scrapbook in the back with the following bonus materials: "The Story of Eloise as told by Marie Brenner" which contains a history of the book, a brief biography of Kay Thompson, and "The Story of Hilary Knight: An evolution in his own words and pictures", about Eloise's illustrator. Fun story that I think remains relatable to kids even more than sixty years after its original publication.

[Amy the book-bat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry to say, I just don't like ELOISE. I realize that she has become a classic children's favorite, but I just can't stand her. Quite frankly, she is a brat. If I was the owner of the Plaza Hotel where she lives, I would boot her little butt right on out the door. Her nanny must be a saint to put up with her nonsense day in and day out. And the writing style really bugged me too. The way the author jumped from thing to thing constantly (I realize this is supposed to represent ELOISE and how she goes from thing to thing) drove me crazy. Maybe ELOISE is ADHD?

The best part of this book was the scrapbook at the end where we get to learn more about the author and the illustrator. It was interesting and I liked the photos and the stories from behind the scenes. That is the only reason this book didn't get the 1 star I felt it deserved.

Young children with short attention spans might like this, but this grumpy mom/aunt does not.

[Joe Zralka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this book in my local library because a chapter was dedicated to it in Julie Satow's book "The Plaza: The Secret Life of America's Most Famous Hotel".

Will I recommend it to very young readers? I guest not. I guess around 11-12 years old would be fine with guidance of teachers or adults to introduce them to American history or society. I am most interested in the scrapbook of this 50th anniversary edition which details stories regarding Kay Thompson and Hillary Knight. Eloise is a rebellious kid which I imagined was read by girls like Hillary Rodham (8 years old that time) to conquer New York in the future and disrupt the system. Kay Thompson never really intended this for children but she is revolutionary herself by wearing pants in public outings( a taboo during time). I guess Thompson's unintentional subliminal mesaging through this book inspired the feminists of our time.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Eloise" is something of a time capsule -- TWA, Bergdorf's and the Plaza itself, at least as a glamorous hotel, are no longer with us -- but it's surprisingly contemporary as well. You don't have to stretch your imagination much to picture Eloise turning into one of those teenagers from "Gossip Girl." I missed out reading this one as a child -- I imagine it's more often given to little girls than to boys -- but enjoyed reading it for the first time as an adult. The book has a certain sadness to it, particularly in its globe-trotting, absentee mother and never-mentioned father, that seems to be a hallmark of the most memorable children's books.

[Winey Mommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I love love love Eloise. Through her silly and obnoxious antics, my daughter is able to distinguish between fun and what's right (using a Kleenex box as a hat, eating breakfast, caring for your pets) and what's wrong (repeating everything Philip says, banging on walls, etc). Eloise is simply fabulous and Nanny is rawther patient in my opinion. Eloise's world at The Plaza is fascinating for my four year old and watching the shows is just as entertaining. Luckily, the only habits she's picked up from Eloise is twirling, tip-toing, a more advanced vocabulary and telling us "I absolutely love love love you mommy/daddy".

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

#40 on Time Magazine 100 Best Children's books
Now, THIS one is right for me to have been read to. That sentence seems very awkward, but in honor of Eloise, I'm going to leave it. The escapades of a 6-year-old girl who lives in the Plaza Hotel in New York City - and doesn't seem to have anyone looking after or out for her.
This was the 50th anniversary issue so it had additional material at the end giving biographical information about both Kay Thompson, the author and Hilary Knight, the illustrator. As best as I can find, Knight is still alive at 97!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eloise was perhaps my favorite picture book as a child- I completely wore out the first copy I had. The books tells the story of Eloise, a six-year old with an absent mother and a British nanny, who lives in the Plaza Hotel in New York and basically runs around and does whatever she wants, relying on her imagination to entertain her. Hilary Knight's pictures are perfectly matched to the story. The other books in the series are not quite as good but still enjoyable.

[Kavfrou · Rating 5 out of 5]

oooh... i just love the plaza!

this little girl of six years old brings out every dreams i ever dreamed of when i'm a teenager. she lives in new york! not just new york, but in the plaza! she can charge it to the room, thank you very much! she can do everything else any children can't possibly do..

after all, she's only six. and a city child. an lives at The Plaza..

how lucky can a six years old, black and white with a dash of pink be?