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First Book Published:
  November 29, 1955
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ELOISE
by Kay Thompson; illustrated by Hilary Knight


Titles in Order of Publication:

ELOISE
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
ISBN: 067122350X
Ages 4-8
(November 1955)

The irrepressible, six-year-old Eloise turns things upside down at New York City's Plaza Hotel, where she lives. Here readers get introduced to Nanny, Eloise's governess and her dog, Weenie and her turtle, Skipperdee. They also learn how Eloise spends her day --- typically getting into all sorts of mischief at the hotel.

* * * * *

ELOISE IN PARIS
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0689827040
Ages 4-8
72 pages
(November 1957)

ELOISE IN PARIS was first published in 1957, the second of the Eloise quartet, and an immediate bestseller. Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight traveled to Paris to do their research the book. Eloise's nanny is referred to here as Nahnee. Enjoy their adventure as they explore all the sites of Paris. One quick note --- the authors knew many celebrities that get mentioned in the book ---, Richard Avedon takes Eloise's passport photograph; Christian Dior prods her tummy, while his young assistant, Yves Saint Laurent, looks on; Lena Horne sits at an outdoor café.

* * * * *

ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0689830394
Ages 4-8
56 pages
(November 1958)

Eloise is at New York's Plaza Hotel on Christmas Eve, spreading her own version of Christmas cheer. Join her as she shops, wraps, decorates --- and celebrates the holiday with her own special style! The holiday has never been merrier.

* * * * *

ELOISE IN MOSCOW
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0689832117
Ages 4-8
80 pages
(October 1959)

Think of Moscow in the 1950s when there was a Cold War going on. Then picture Eloise, the precocious 6-year-old heading there with her nanny. The usual pink, black, and white colors that are signature Eloise are absent here. Instead the drawings are maize/goldenrod, and even oranges and greens. Readers will enjoy "sightseeing" in Moscow with Eloise!

* * * * *

THE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL ELOISE
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0689827032
Ages 4-8
80 pages
(May 1999)

This book has the original ELOISE story and illustrations. Then as an extra bonus there are sketches of the illustrations as works-in-progess, and photographs of Kay Thompson when she was young,and so Eloise-like. There's also a terrific scrapbook with all kinds of essentially Eloise material you will not want to miss.

* * * * *

ELOISE'S GUIDE TO LIFE: How to Eat, Dress, Travel, Behave and Stay Six Forever
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0689833105
Ages 4-8
48 pages
(June 2000)

Everyone know that Eloise has a language all her own. This book contains a sampling of Eloise-isms. Whether your grew up with Eloise, or are just discovering her now, this book is sure to make you smile.

* * * * *

ELOISE THE ULTIMATE EDITION
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0689839901
Ages 4-8
304 pages
(October 2000)

Everyone knows and loves Eloise, the young girl who lives in the for the wealthy Plaza Hotel in New York City. ELOISE: The Ultimate Edition combines the four Eloise stories into one giant book and includes "Eloise at Christmastime," which is perfect for the holiday season. There is also an Eloise scrapbook, full of photographs and interesting comments, along with the story of how Eloise came about. This is a great book for Eloise lovers, or even for those who are unfamiliar with her --- readers will immediately fall in love with her and her adventures!

* * * * *

ELOISE TAKES A BAWTH
Kay Thompson
illustrated by Hilary Knight
edited by Mart Crowley
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0689842880
Ages 4-8
80 pages
(October 2002)

Eloise, who is in the Plaza Hotel, must take a "bawth" because Mr. Salamone is coming for tea. In the bathtub, her imagination goes to work, which leads to an overabundance of bubbly "bawth" water. Mr. Salamone becomes very worried and angry when the floors of the hotel start to flood. But Eloise is unaware of this and keeps scrubbing and splashing. Just as the hotel is about to drown in its own bubbles, Eloise, clean as a whistle, saves the day.

* * * * *

ELOISE IN HOLLYWOOD
based on the art of Hilary Knight
written by J. David Stem and David N. Weiss
illustrated by Ted Enik
Simon & Schuster
ISBN-10: 0689842899
ISBN-13: 9780689842894
Ages 4-8
70 pages


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Eloise is rawther thrilled when she finds out she'll be going to Hollywood with Nanny. Eloise's mother is acquainted with a famous Hollywood Movie Mogul who insists that the precocious six-year-old drop in for a visit. Eloise makes sure she has everything she needs for a successful trip, including sunglasses (at least three pairs).

Upon their arrival in Los Angeles, they meet the Mogul's driver, who is nice enough to give them a sightseeing tour. Eloise falls in love with La-La Land, as she visits Hollywood Boulevard, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Venice Beach and Mann's Chinese Theatre (although the idea of good shoes in wet cement is not very appealing to Eloise).

The aspiring young actress --- who probably would be a huge admirer of film star Shirley Temple --- takes readers behind the scenes of a movie production as she prepares to make her own big screen debut. We know that Eloise is ready for Hollywood, but is Hollywood ready for Eloise?

* * * * *

ELOISE’S CHRISTMAS TRINKLES
by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9780689874253
Ages 4-8
48 pages


Click here to buy from Amazon.com

Eloise, the erstwhile six-year-old with a mind for poetry and mischief, is at it again in ELOISE'S CHRISTMAS TRINKLES, in which she takes the reader for a tour-de-force trip throughout the Christmas season at the Plaza.

Racing from floor to floor and room to room, Eloise brings her loud and brassy childish cheer to its many inhabitants --- the caterers, the maids, the administrative staff and, of course, her beloved Nanny and her traveling-the-world mother, as well as Skipperdee the turtle and Weenie the dog. In the spirit of her hilarious outbursts, it can be said that Christmas truly is a magical time if you make it that way.

More than the peppy poetry of Eloise's literary rambles, the charm of the nutty little girl in the black skirt and kneesocks comes from the marvelous pictures by the still-prolific Hilary Knight. The details that give it a "zippity jingle and dash away ping" are perfection: in pink, black, white and red, she is able to elicit all sorts of emotional responses to the pictures. And for those who had the pleasure in real life of seeing the Plaza in all its MGM-musical, old Manhattan decor, each line of every drawing is like a wonderful photograph that you find in a long-forgotten book that brings back a flood of wistful memories. ELOISE'S CHRISTMAS TRINKLES is a cute and darling little volume that elicits your most delicious childhood memories of so many such seasons that have come before.

And, of course, the verbiage is colorful and melodic, rendering the late Kay Thompson's voice in the guise of the unforgettable Eloise. These days, when life seems particularly hard for everyone, it is a relief to know that some artists are able to bound us past the pain and into the most traditional and emotional parts of the Christmas holiday. This is a perfect stocking stuffer of a book for new and old Eloise fans alike. Have a jingle holiday with Eloise!

    --- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano


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