Eleanor, Ellatony, Ellencake, and Me

This book reminds me of when I was a child and I'm sure other readers would have similar feelings. The author does a great job of showing a child's perspective when called different names even though "we adults" think it's cute. The names given aren't just words, though, they come with expectations that the adults in Eleanor's life have for her. The author uses humorous rhyme, which perhaps is "Ellie's" way of dealing with this issue until she resolves it in the end by "waking" up these adults and letting them know she is ONE person with ONE name--the name she herself has chosen. The illustrations are just gorgeous and seem to leap out as if Ellie is attempting to keep the readers focused and remind them how important her feelings are.

If you have an endearing nickname or nicknames for your children, then Eleanor, Ellatony, Ellencake, and Me is an expertly written and beautifully illustrated picture book for you to share with your children (preschool to age 8).C.M. Rubin's outstanding new book is written in verse and tells the story of Eleanor, a child whose family loves her so much that they can't stop coming up with nicknames for her. Confused by such endearment, Eleanor decides she wants her own identity, and does not want to be known by the nicknames her parents and grandparents dream up for her.This book is about child wonderment and how a mini-crisis over childhood identity can arise in any youngster. The story is not to be missed and makes a perfect gift for the holidays.We have four children at our house, and they all are addressed more often by their nicknames than the first name on their birth certificates. I think that is true in most families. I also think this wonderful book will be one you will love and so will your young children.

I bought this book as a gift for my neighbor's 6 year old daughter. She loves it and all of the kids in the neighborhood love it too! The kids really get into the nicknames and tell everyone the many names that they have too! A wonder ful book for children.

I saw this book and thought my daughter (age 7) and son (age 5) might like it, so I bought it on impulse. I have had to read it to them every night for the past week, and found my daughter reading it to herself this morning. The story is totally captivating, about parents and relatives that give all kinds of nicknames to a child, which she then turns into hilarious dreams about herself in an attempt to figure out who she really wants to be. The great story, enchanting musical rhyme of the words, and extremely funny illustrations fascinate my children. They have to hear the story over and over again. This is the best book purchase I have made all year, and I recommend it to everyone with 5 Huge Stars!

My three-year-old daughter, McKenna, loves "Eleanor!" Luckily, so do I ... as she wants to read it over and over. The illustration is darling, the rhyme and verse lyrical and the imaginative "dream sequences" fun. I leave the last word off of each sentence as I read and "Mackie" (that's her nickname) shouts it out. She can't pronounce "Eleanor," so she says, "I want `Elner!'"