Eloise in Paris

Book review by Jennifer Gennari, Common Sense Media
Eloise in Paris Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 4+

Eloise's enthusiasm for Paris is delightful.

Kay Thompson Picture Book 1958
Rate book

Parents say

age 8+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

No reviews yet.

Add your rating

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate book

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that mischief and merriment are the modus operandi of this little rich kid, and children never stop giggling over the escapades and the drawings. People are shown smoking cigarettes.

Community Reviews

Movies3
Movies3 Adult
August 18, 2019
age 18+

Inappropriate content

This book was disastrously loaded with so much adult content (“champagne challenge, ordering Johnny Walker Black, etc) that I really don’t think it’s appropriate for a minor of any age. The whole book honestly sounds like the drunken ramblings of someone via a child’s character and was so inappropriate I stopped reading after a page or two and just flipped through the pages

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
HEH2009
HEH2009 Adult
October 3, 2015
age 4+

So Disappointed

Why does a child this young know what Johnny Walker Black is, and why is she ordering it from room service? I guess it's for the same reason she exercises with bottles of champagne. We're not prudes, but I didn't think I was going to have to explain to my preschoolers what it means to, "smoke three packs a day." I realize this was written in a different generation, when it was acceptable to smoke in public and around children, but the idea of a child ordering alcohol via room service is unsettling, regardless of the year in which it was written.

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Eloise absolutely loves Paris! From the unpacking to the sightseeing and dining, Eloise's enthusiasm for her new surroundings and the foreign language is delightful to both grown-ups and kids. Plenty of extra humor is doodled into the superb drawings that accompany the breathless narrative in Eloise's voice.

Is It Any Good?

"Pas de quoi d'accord and zut," says Eloise as she and Nanny embrace life in Paris; even if parents stumble over the French, Eloise's adoption of foreign words just for the sounds is contagious. Who can resist saying "regardez" and "parapluie"? In this second book about Eloise, there is no gradual introduction to Eloise's helter-skelter pace: The cablegram arrives, and Eloise runs nonstop from that moment on through every new experience. With the same zeal with which she explored the Plaza, Eloise now takes on all of Paris. Parents in particular will appreciate how well Kay Thompson captures every French foible, from traffic to fashion to sidewalk cafés.

Rather than budgeting one picture per page, illustrator Hilary Knight intersperses many images of Eloise among the text. In black and white and hues of red with bits of blue, the illustrations capture many marvelous expressions. Children will love to study the pages and will often stop to point out details such as Eloise's turtle, which is about to bite another café patron's toes. Paris is the perfect city for a precocious child like Eloise, and she embodies the best kind of fearless tourist.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Eloise's escapades in Paris. Would you want to explore some of the places she visits? Is it fun to try to pronounce the French words?

Book Details

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate