Parents' Guide to

Eloise at Christmastime

By Jennifer Gennari, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Eloise skitters through the holiday in charming sequel.

Book Kay Thompson Holiday 1958
Eloise at Christmastime Poster Image

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The cartoon-like black, white, and red drawings by Hilary Knight are what hold this book together. Kids find endless details to delight them, although even 8-year-olds may become impatient to turn the page to see what's next during the long-winded verse.

In the last decades of Kay Thompson's life, she refused to allow ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME to remain in print. After her death, the publishers reissued it (with four new pages), but it isn't quite up to the greatness of the original. Written in rhyme, it squashes one of the greatest joys of Eloise: her breathless talk-talk-talk. Although asides in red add to the fun, such as, "Sometimes there is so much to do that/ I get sort of a headache around the sides and partially under it."

Fans know Eloise's mother is famous and busy, but her absence at Christmas, of all times, is more disturbing. And it seems out of character for Eloise to admit that perhaps she hasn't been good enough during the year to deserve presents.

Book Details

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