This picture book is a bit different from its more modern-day counterparts in the sense that there are 58 pages versus the traditional 32 pages, and there are many more words than what I normally encounter in picture books. Thompson introduces readers to the theme of void filling with such subtly that younger children may not pick up on this message.

The author does an excellent job of balancing the comical side of Eloise's story with her curious search to fill the void left by her absent mother. There are long ramblings from Eloise combined with short bursts of thought, showing the reader the true mind of child. The author is so true to how a child would really speak, which helps the story and the character's attitude come to life. There is also much repetition and parallel structure through out the story, especially with certain conjunctions such as and.

Thompson rarely uses periods and lets the language flow out non-stop. Thompson's style of writing in this book allows Eloise's true nature come alive through the grammatical structures. It is also a story of independence and finding your own path. Kay Thompson tells a poignant story in a light-hearted manner of what measures people will go to in order to fill a void in their lives while trying to make the best of things. She also gets to live vicariously it seems through the stories of the hotel staff's lives. Eloise also fills up much of her time by 'making things up,' as stated by Eloise herself. The hotel staff are tolerant but irritated as the reader can see from the spunky drawings by Hillary Knight within the book. She fills up her time by finding anything and everything to keep her busy, some of which leads to borderline trouble. The main conflict is that Eloise, besides the help of the loving Nanny, is left to raise herself. ISBN 067122350XĮloise is the story of a precocious six-year-old girl who lives in the Plaza Hotel in New York City. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Eloise books