Eloise's Guide to Life

I've been reading Eloise since I was 6 and I'm now 14! She represents freedom, and her wildness refreshes my mind. It's a great book for kids and it will expand their imagination.

Eloise rocked my world when I was little... now I'm 18 and bringing her books to college! She's an inspiration to six-year olds and adults alike. This book is just another great glimpse into the world of Eloise. I consider it a lesson on how to stay young through use of the imagination. It isn't as great as the original Eloise, but it's still wonderful! I read it to children I babysit for (who love her) and I plan on reading it to children of my own someday!

Let's face it-you are either an Eloise fan or not. There is no in-between. I happen to be a very loyal fan.I ran across this by accident one rainy airport day and of course, knew it was going to be great. I was not disappointed. This is a book full of previous work collected into a life "guide".The illustrations are once again, hillarious! Who couldn't smile at Eloise's antics? The "advice" is superb. But my favorite are the little pink colored advice tidbits on most pages.I am so relieved that Eloise has not been censored by the politically correct. So many children's books are so soapy clean that you cannot enjoy them. However, all things Eloise remain classic.

This book contains highlights of the four Eloise books (Eloise, Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime, and Eloise in Moscow), grouped into her habits about eating, dressing, travel, behavior, and staying young (six). The book is like having a brief scrapbook of these stories that capture and remind you of the essential character of Eloise. As such, this book will help you quickly drop the cares of the day . . . and it's healthier than a cocktail.On the other hand, if you haven't read all four books, I think this assemblage will lose some of its charm. Some of the examples don't make much sense if you don't have the story context for them. If you have read all four stories but don't have copies, this is the bargain basement way to have a little of each one. If you can afford to indulge, I suggest Eloise: The Ultimate Edition as a better choice. That has all four stories, plus the wonderful scrapbook material about the development of the Eloise character and biographies of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight. Once you own that edition, you don't really need this one (unless you just want to tuck it under your pillow for comfort). Some of my favorite sections from this book include Eloise combing her hair with a fork, ordering room service, insisting on Sabena because they let turtles fly on that airline, and getting a new outfit from M. Dior in Paris. I'm sure you'll find some of your favorites, too. By the way, Eloise must have authorized this book. Kay Thompson wouldn't have . . . because it's commercial Eloise rather than essential Eloise. The wonderful Hilary Knight drawings carry the edition, even when the context seems lost. After you have finished enjoying this little souvenir, I suggest that you try boiling down your life into 20 elements of your own habits. Which 20 best capture the real you? If they don't capture you, what does that say? Hmmmm. Something to think about. Remember the best . . . from midst all of life's little eddies.

Whether you are a fan of Eloise, or meeting her for the first time, you can't live without ELOISE'S GUIDE TO LIFE. It is a wickedly funny collection of favorite drawings and quotable hilarity from four classic 1950s books, ELOISE, ELOISE IN PARIS, ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME and ELOISE IN MOSCOW (all currently back in print!), featuring the antics of the lovably incorrigible 6-year-old little girl who terrorizes the staff of The Plaza Hotel in New York City, where she lives with her Nanny, her pug dog Weenie ("who looks like a cat"), and her turtle Skipperdee. Although classified as "childrens books", they were actually written "for precocious adults" by the very witty and flamboyant entertainer Kay Thompson (who passed away in 1998) and illustrated by the living legend himself, Hilary Knight! And, to make this new collection all the more special, Mr. Knight has drawn several exclusive illustrations of Eloise to introduce each section of the book, plus the rawther fabulous new cover. So, whether you are adding to your collection, or just starting one, ELOISE'S GUIDE TO LIFE is an absolute must!