LSSL 5360: Module 1 -- Picture Books

Eloise by Kay Thompson

1)    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Thompson, Kay.  1955.  ELOISE.  Ill. by Hilary Knight.  New York:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.  ISBN 9780671223502

2)    PLOT SUMMARY

Eloise is told from the point of view of six year old Eloise and her life in the Plaza Hotel in New York.  Eloise has a very inquisitive nature, and takes you on a journey in the day of her very imaginative life.  Eloise is very descriptive in her observations of everyday life in the Plaza, and gives a detailed account of everyone she encounters in her day.  Nanny, her nurse, is her beloved companion and takes care of her in her mother’s absence.  Eloise and Nanny have a daily routine that they follow, and Eloise embellishes it with her imagination.  She makes it a point not to be bored, and has a variety of activities that keep her busy in the hotel.  Eloise is always planning her next adventure at the Plaza Hotel.

3)    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

As stated on the title page of the book, Eloise is “a book for precocious grownups.”  I had never read this book before, and assumed it my four year old niece would really enjoy it.  She was intrigued by the illustrations in the book, but I knew the content and vocabulary of the book was way too high for her.  This would be a great book to introduce higher level vocabulary words, and to discuss the concepts of routines.  I would recommend Eloise for upper grade levels in elementary, or as previously stated for grownups.  Those that are intrigued by New York or an affluent lifestyle will greatly enjoy Thompson’s work.  Another concept that my niece didn’t grasp was that when Knight drew in red, he was depicting Eloise’s imagination.  Knight’s illustrations are fantastic, and allow us to follow Eloise’s train of thoughts and her vivid imagination.  A great lesson would be for students to imagine and draw what else Eloise could in a hotel to occupy her time.  When reading Eloise, the targeted audience needs to be given careful consideration. 

4)    REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Publisher Weekly’s Review:  “The book, published a year later, was an immediate success, which Knight attributes to the fact that it was targeted to adults and received a lot of press, including "a big send-off in Life." According to Knight, "Kay always saw it as a book for adults. Had it been a children's book, it would not have had the same impact. It did make its way into children's, and that's why it has survived."  (Reviewed 4/5/1999)

School Library Journal’s Review:  “Eloise is a classic that comes down to two things: that audacious voice and those enchanting drawings,” said Jane Bayard Curley, an independent curator specializing in the art of children's literature.”  (Reviewed 11/7/2015)

5)    CONNECTIONS

v This is a great book for teaching students the concept of routines and introducing them to higher level vocabulary.

v Other similar stories:

Thompson, Kay.  ELOISE:  THE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL  ISBN 1416908234

Thompson, Kay.  ELOISE AT CHRISTMATIME  ISBN 0689830394

Holabird, Katharine.  ANGELINA BALLERINA  ISBN 0670060267

Sís, Peter.  MADLENKA  ISBN 0374399697