Review: Eloise by Kay Thompson Illustrated by Hilary Knight
Eloise by Kay Thompson Illustrated by Hilary Knight
Kay Thompson perfectly captures the mind of a six year old child through her writing style in Eloise. On some pages, Eloise describes what she sees and does through long rambling monologues, and on others, there are short bursts of speech, but there are hardly ever periods. Since the story is told entirely by Eloise, the reader sees what life at a bustling big city hotel building looks like to a child. Things that might seem mundane to adults are extraordinary opportunities for mischief and fun for a child at The Plaza, like going up and down the elevator and walking down the hallway. As raucous and wild as Eloise is, there is a lack of attention from adults that Eloise craves. She mentions sickness several times throughout the book, and a first aid kit seems to be by her side in some scenes as well. Eloise knows that sickness means she will finally get some much needed attention from her nanny, since her mother is always away. Children often equate bad and good attention as a positive thing, and Eloise is no different. Whether it is sitting down and watching television with her nanny or being sick, she is getting the attention she needs. Like many six year olds, Eloise is quite literal. She hears adults use words like “shoestring budget” and believes that someone got married on an actual shoestring. Surrounded by adults, she tries to use the language she hears in the conversations around her, which leads her to repeat certain phrases like “for Lord’s sake”.
Kay Thompson frames the story so that the reader is only able to see what Eloise wants them to see, and Hilary Knight’s illustrations provide a more complete picture. For example, in the scene where Eloise is in her room, she only describes her room as having a large coat rack. However, when you look at the illustration, you can see small details of Eloise’s life that provide a more complete picture of her character. Such as her calendar showing that all month her room has been untidy, or that she has written her name in all caps along the wall. All the pictures are black and white, with bright pops of hot pink. Any time Eloise is pretending, her imagination is colored hot pink. The hot pink is bright, bold, girly, and directly reflective of Eloise’s personality. Knight chose Eloise’s physical character traits to be an outward representation of her inner self. Her hair is often disheveled, although she always has a bow. Her love of room service and treats is shown by her little pot belly. She is often seen with only one shoe, suggesting she has probably lost the other.
As an adult reading Eloise, I was exhausted by the time I reached the end, as if I was actually with Eloise herself. This shows how brilliantly Thompson’s writing style was able to capture the mind of a six year old child. Although Eloise might make adults roll their eyes and sigh, you can’t deny the charm her curious and imaginative nature brings. Children will love hearing about her wild adventures at The Plaza.
“The annoying antics Eloise dreams up to entertain herself may worry some parents, but her outrageously naughty behavior delights kids.”- Common Sense Media
"My first happy response to Eloise was entirely due to the brilliant, iconic images. That brazen, loose-limbed, deliciously little girl monster is Hilary Knight at his best."-Maurice Sendak
-Watch a clip from Eloise the movie and compare her character to the book
-Character trait portrait of Eloise
-Writing activity: What would you do if you lived in a hotel for a day?
-Other books in the series:
-Eloise at Christmastime
-Eloise in Paris
-Eloise Takes a Bawth
SHSU LSSL 5360
- Bibliographic Data: Thompson, Kay. 1955. Eloise. Ill. by Hilary Knight. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-671-22350-2
- Plot Summary: Eloise is a six year old girl who lives at The Plaza in New York. She keeps herself busy by pouring water down the mail chute, ordering room service, taking care of her baby dolls, and by gracing the employees and other patrons with her presence. There is a lot to be done when you’re a six year old at The Plaza!
- Critical Analysis:
Kay Thompson perfectly captures the mind of a six year old child through her writing style in Eloise. On some pages, Eloise describes what she sees and does through long rambling monologues, and on others, there are short bursts of speech, but there are hardly ever periods. Since the story is told entirely by Eloise, the reader sees what life at a bustling big city hotel building looks like to a child. Things that might seem mundane to adults are extraordinary opportunities for mischief and fun for a child at The Plaza, like going up and down the elevator and walking down the hallway. As raucous and wild as Eloise is, there is a lack of attention from adults that Eloise craves. She mentions sickness several times throughout the book, and a first aid kit seems to be by her side in some scenes as well. Eloise knows that sickness means she will finally get some much needed attention from her nanny, since her mother is always away. Children often equate bad and good attention as a positive thing, and Eloise is no different. Whether it is sitting down and watching television with her nanny or being sick, she is getting the attention she needs. Like many six year olds, Eloise is quite literal. She hears adults use words like “shoestring budget” and believes that someone got married on an actual shoestring. Surrounded by adults, she tries to use the language she hears in the conversations around her, which leads her to repeat certain phrases like “for Lord’s sake”.
Kay Thompson frames the story so that the reader is only able to see what Eloise wants them to see, and Hilary Knight’s illustrations provide a more complete picture. For example, in the scene where Eloise is in her room, she only describes her room as having a large coat rack. However, when you look at the illustration, you can see small details of Eloise’s life that provide a more complete picture of her character. Such as her calendar showing that all month her room has been untidy, or that she has written her name in all caps along the wall. All the pictures are black and white, with bright pops of hot pink. Any time Eloise is pretending, her imagination is colored hot pink. The hot pink is bright, bold, girly, and directly reflective of Eloise’s personality. Knight chose Eloise’s physical character traits to be an outward representation of her inner self. Her hair is often disheveled, although she always has a bow. Her love of room service and treats is shown by her little pot belly. She is often seen with only one shoe, suggesting she has probably lost the other.
As an adult reading Eloise, I was exhausted by the time I reached the end, as if I was actually with Eloise herself. This shows how brilliantly Thompson’s writing style was able to capture the mind of a six year old child. Although Eloise might make adults roll their eyes and sigh, you can’t deny the charm her curious and imaginative nature brings. Children will love hearing about her wild adventures at The Plaza.
- Review Excerpts
“The annoying antics Eloise dreams up to entertain herself may worry some parents, but her outrageously naughty behavior delights kids.”- Common Sense Media
"My first happy response to Eloise was entirely due to the brilliant, iconic images. That brazen, loose-limbed, deliciously little girl monster is Hilary Knight at his best."-Maurice Sendak
- Connections
-Watch a clip from Eloise the movie and compare her character to the book
-Character trait portrait of Eloise
-Writing activity: What would you do if you lived in a hotel for a day?
-Other books in the series:
-Eloise at Christmastime
-Eloise in Paris
-Eloise Takes a Bawth
SHSU LSSL 5360
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