Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown Ups [Hardcover]

Kay Thompson (Author), Hilary Knight (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: April 30, 1969 | Age Range: 6 and up

Eloise is a little girl who lives at The Plaza Hotel in New York. She is not yet pretty but she is already a Person.

Henry James would want to study her.

Queen Victoria would recognize her as an Equal.

The New York Jets would want to have her on their side.

Lewis Carroll would love her (once he got over the initial shock).

She knows everything about The Plaza. She is interested in people when they are not boring.

She has Inner Resources.

If you take her home with you, you will always be glad you did.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"I am Eloise/I am six." So begins the well-loved story of Eloise, the garrulous little girl who lives at New York's Plaza Hotel. Eyebrow raised defiantly, arm propped on one jutting hip, Eloise is a study in self-confidence. Eloise's personal mandate is "Getting bored is not allowed," so she fills her days to the brim with wild adventures and self-imposed responsibilities. An average Eloise afternoon includes braiding her pet turtle's ears, ordering "one roast-beef bone, one raisin and seven spoons" from room service, and devising innovative methods of torture for her guardians.

Eloise's exploits are non-stop, and--accordingly--the text uses nary a period. Kay Thompson perfectly captures the way children speak: in endless sentences elongated with "and then ... and then ... and then... " Hilary Knight's drawings illustrate Eloise's braggadocio and amusement as well as the bewilderment of harassed hotel guests. Eloise's taunts are terrible, her imagination inimitable, her pace positively perilous. Her impertinence will delight readers of all ages. (Ages 5 and older)

Review

"Eloise is one of the more delightfully fiendish literary heroines of our time."

-- Edward I. Koch (former NYC mayor!!!)

"Eloise is a model for uppity women."

-- Nina Totenberg (rawther important radio lady)

"Thanks to Eloise, my daughter sought independence and mastery over her life. We loved reading this book, and we've never given it away."

-- Susan Sarandon (rawther grande actress)

"Ooooooo....I just love Eloise! Thank you, Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight. You're the bestest!"

-- Judy Blume (lovely author)

"My first happy response to Eloise was entirely due to the brilliant, iconic images. That brazen, loose-limbed, deliciosly little girl monster is Hilary Knight at his best."

-- Maurice Sendak (enormously famous artist)

"Eloise, Kay, and Hilary have been in my life always. And her pug puppy is in my heart. What memories!"

-- Lena Horne (movie star)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 68 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (April 30, 1969)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067122350X
• ISBN-13: 978-0671223502
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.4 x 11.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (129 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Where We Live > City Life

More About the Author

Kay Thompson (1909-1998) was a singer, dancer, vocal arranger, and coach of many MGM musicals in the 1940s. The Eloise character grew out of the voice of a precocious six-year-old that Miss Thompson put on to amuse her friends. Collaborating with Hilary Knight on what was an immediate bestseller, Kay Thompson became a literary sensation when Eloise was published in 1955. The book has sold more than two million copies to date. Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight created four more Eloise books, Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmas, Eloise in Moscow, and Eloise Takes a Bawth.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I rawther love love love this book! April 7, 2000

By J. Hauer VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

As we all know, Eloise is six and she lives at the Plaza Hotel with her Nanny who says things three times, her dog Weenie, her turtle Skipperdee and two dolls. When I was a child, I adored this book and wanted to be just like Eloise. She does whatever she wants and gets away with it.

As an adult, I feel so sorry for Eloise because her mother only sends for her when it's sunny and otherwise isn't present. What a poor little girl to grow up so alone!

However, this is a tremendously humorous and beautifully illustrated classic that can always make me grin from ear to ear. I looooovve room service too! Oh, and charge it please. Thank you very much.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Childlike and Literary June 12, 1999

By C. Burch

Format:Hardcover

A few weeks ago, I took a friend and her two 5 year old twin girls to dinner. There was a 45 minute wait, and we went to the bookstore next door. I was dreading the prospect of entertaining two 5 year olds for 45 minutes until I saw a copy of Eloise, which has been out of print for many years. I sat down and started reading to them. The time flew by. A few older women walked by and smiled. I like to think that they had read the book when they were little girls. The 45 minutes went by all too soon for me.

What can I say about Eloise? We named our DOG Eloise when I was a boy. It is both literary and true to children. It is one of the books (like Charlotte's Web or Black Beauty) that stays in your heart from childhood.

Give it to your children.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is about a tiny 6yr girl Eloise who lives in the plaza October 30, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

This is a great book were a little girl name Eloise who lives with her Nanny on the top floor of the Plaza in New York. Eloise is a curious girl that always finds herself in trouble. Everyone in the Plaza knows Eloise if they want to or not! Eloise sometimes even goes off subject in the book like " My mother has a Nieman Marcus Charge Card!" If you are a little girl, pre-teen, teen or even an adult you will love this book! If you can get the ABOUSOLUTLY ESSENTIAL EDITION because this has a scrapbook in the end! If you live in New york it is very fun. As i used to ! I even read this to my 2 year old sister Natilie and my new twin sisters Audrey and Tiffany.Natty just cracks up! Well just enjoy!