Book Lovers' Advent Calendar: Day Four

 I have always been a big Eloise fan.  I fell in love with her in a bookstore in Lexington, Virginia, when I read, "Here's where he's been: Spain.  Here's where I've been: boiler room."  I love, love, love that she has a dog named Weenie and a turtle named Skipper Dee.  And I have taken up many of her verb creations: the kittens so obviously skibble across the floor chasing an ice cube that I can't believe the word wasn't created by Chaucer to denote just such an action.  And I totally agree with Eloise: who hasn't wanted to sklonk somebody in the kneecap out of sheer frustration?

So today's choice for the Advent calendar, Eloise at Christmastime, by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, tickles me pink (Eloise would approve).  The book was originally published in 1958, and is unique among the Eloise books in that it is written in verse -- although Eloise's rhymes are often a little wonky, which makes sense since she's only six, for Lord's sake!

Eloise is fabulous as she makes gifts for everyone she knows, sings carols outside the doors of the Plaza's guests, hits all the parties, and then dreams about Santa.   Aack!  So happy-making!

[If your childhood memory of this book needs a little jog, it might be because this was the original cover . . . .]

 

"Sometimes there is so much to do that I get sort of a headache
 around the sides and partially under it."

Sister, I would wear that on a t-shirt.