All about Eloise

 

 

Eloise is one of my favorite children’s book characters, although not one I know from childhood (unlike Babar, Madeline, Curious George, or Tintin). I only discovered Eloise when I saw the old movie (with Julie Andrews as Nanny) on Disney channel when I was in college and learned that it was based on a book.

Eloise is a feisty six-year old girl living at The Plaza Hotel in New York City (hahaha, like Grandmere in The Princess Diaries, also played by Julie Andrews but in the movie she has a state home on the Genovian embassy grounds) in a book series by Kay Thompson illustrated by Hilary Knight.  If you’ve seen Eloise, you’re bound to remember her forever, with the wild hair adorned with a flouncy bow, and the ruffled blouse and jumper ensemble (and pink knickers underneath!).

I have three Eloise books now, all from bargain bins over the last few years: the original Eloise, the Absolutely Essential Eloise, and Eloise’s Guide to Life.

 

 

There is no main storyline in the original Eloise story (subtitled “A book for precocious grownups”), but just imagine, a bored six year old (with an absentee mom– presumably a high-powered career woman because she’s quite a jetsetter, has a charge account at Bergdorf’s and knows Coco Chanel– and a British nanny who can’t quite keep up with her) running loose in a hotel — that’s like Zack and Cody (from the Disney channel series that I suspect was inspired by Eloise, except they’re not as cute) and then some, rolled into a pint-sized hurricane! The original story (Eloise) mainly goes through Eloise’s day, which is full of amusing antics as she drives everyone crazy going up and down elevators, “helping out” in the service, attending hotel functions, driving her tutor crazy, having a nightcap in front of the telly with Nanny, taking care of her pug Weenie and her turtle Skipperdee, and basically just making her presence known all over the hotel.

The story is told in Eloise’s distinctive speech, with her self-important “This is me, ELOISE” sprinkled every so often in the narration, and an emphatic “Charge it, please” every time she avails of a hotel service (the lucky duck!). She also picks up Nanny’s expressions, such as “rawther” and “oh my Lord” and “For the Lord’s sake.” Eloise is a little ball of energy as she “skibbles up and down the stairs,” “skidders two sticks along the walls,” “slomps her feet against the woodwork,” “scampers up a ladder” and “sklonks the barber in the kneecap.”

 

The Absolutely Essential Eloise contains the original Eloise story, but this 1999 special edition also has 18 pages of an Eloise scrapbook, which goes over the  lives of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, the history of Eloise since 1955, and how the much-loved character began a literary sensation that has sold millions of copies all over the world.

According to the book, Eloise was “one of publishing’s first saturation-marketing gambits” — dolls, toys, wardrobe, and even The Plaza took advantage: there was a room at the hotel where you could pick up a phone and hear Eloise say, “Hello, it’s me, ELOISE,” and the kid’s menu at the restaurant had Eloise-inspired dishes, such as “Teenie Weenies” and “Eggs Eloise.” An oil portrait of Eloise (also by Hilary Knight) has been displayed at The Plaza since 1956, and in 1998, The Plaza Hotel got official designation as a Literary Landmark, registered as The Home of Eloise!

 

The Eloise portrait at The Plaza

 

Eloise’s Guide to Life, subtitled “Or how to eat, dress, travel, behave, and stay six forever” is a little book that compiles little bits of Eloise-isms from the Eloise books, like food quirks: “A melon makes a very good iced foot bucket and a very good heat ray hat”; fashion statements: “My day is rawther full I have to call the Valet and tell him to get up here and pick up my sneakers to be clean and pressed”; travel advice: “If you do not understand simply nod your head and say ‘No Comprendo'”; p’s and q’s: “I go to as many holiday parties as I possibly can”; and what she does best, of course — staying six forever: “You can hum with your eyes closed and nobody can hear you.”

 

 

I love Eloise because she’s such an original! She’s not your run of the mill do-gooder; she’s hilariously incorrigible, but she can charm the socks right off anyone  —  even five decades after her first outing! But while lives in the lap of luxury, it does have a sad side — her mom is never seen in the books, her dad is never mentioned, and she doesn’t appear to have any friends her age. Still, Eloise manages to make the most of it, befriending (or tormenting, depending on who you’re asking) everyone from the maitre d’ to the pigeon cooing on her windowsill.

I love Kay Thompson’s writing — the style captures Eloise’s speech and six-year old philosophy perfectly, as if you can hear Eloise’s high-pitched voice as you read the words. And the Eloise book is actually sixty-five pages plus the writing on the flaps of the dust jacket — definitely good for many bedtime stories!

Hilary Knight’s illustrations are just exquisite; I love all the chic pink and black, and Eloise’s many comical expressions. Eloise’s iconic status is due, in large part, to how Knight has managed to translate all of Thompson’s descriptions into a beloved figure that appears to jump out of the page in dozens of different ways!

 

 

 

I’m still hunting down Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime, and Eloise in Moscow, but I think it’s safe to say my Eloise books will permanently stay on my shelves!

***

Eloise, hardcover, 5/5 stars

The Absolutely Essential Eloise, hardcover, 5/5 stars

Eloise’s Guide to Life, all hardcover, 4/5 stars

Books #88-90 for 2010

[amazonify]::omakase::300:250[/amazonify]