Q&A with Hilary Knight
A Conversation with Hilary Knight, illustrator of Eloise Takes A Bawth
Q: What has the reaction been like from Eloise fans since the three original sequels were re-released in 1999/2000?
A: Everyone (including me) is thrilled they are back in print. Whenever I do signings, the most asked question (after "Do you get writer's cramp?" . . . I don't) is when will we get the other books back--including Bawth. Now they are all available at last.
Q: When and for how long did you and Kay Thompson first work together on Eloise Takes A Bawth?
A: Off and on, beginning in 1963 through 1968. Kay and I did many versions of Eloise's Bawth. We began in Rome (where Kay lived at the time), and what you see today is based on writings and sketches we created together in the Eternal City.
Q: How was Mart Crowley selected as the writer to piece together the existing fragments of Kay Thompson's original text?
A: Mart first knew Kay when he visited Rome in the early 1960s. I met him after his first play was produced in New York City. He was a master of dialogue and understood Kay's particular "sound." Who better to collaborate with than a friend of both of us--and Eloise?
Q: Why did you feel it was necessary to create all new illustrations for Eloise Takes A Bawth? How closely do the new drawings resemble your original sketches?
A: The drawings were worked over many times. I think we had been "soaking" too long in the tub. In going back to the original sketches and text the freshness of our original idea was preserved. I based the new art on the original sketches because they were fresh and spontaneous. I think the newest 2002 version reflects that.
Q: As an artist, who has had the greatest influence on your work?
A: I grew up in a great period, the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Commercial and decorative art were at their inventive height, and my parents [artists Katharine Sturges and Clayton Knight] being part of it helped me decide that was the direction I wanted. In their library and on my bookshelves were the books that inspired me--illustrations by Edmund Dulac and Ernest Shepard made me want to be an illustrator.
Q: How did you end up being the one to illustrate Eloise originally?
A: It was Kay and me from the beginning. Our mutual friend (and my neighbor), a fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar, D. D. Dixon, got us together and we became an instant team. It was a thrilling part of my life.
Q: Eloise is the quintessential six-year-old. Is she modeled after a real little girl?
A: Eloise is the alter ego of Kay Thompson, but was visually inspired by a painting my mother had done in the 1930s. "Quintessential" suggests that there are more like her out there--that's just not possible.
Q: For Eloise in Paris, you and Kay Thompson actually traveled to France together.
Can you talk a little bit about that trip?
A: All of the Eloise books were done in close collaboration from the start. Kay and I worked night and day at The Plaza in New York, then in hotels in Paris and Moscow. If you love laughing a lot, eating delectable meals, and having the best time of your life, it was absolutely great--it certainly wasn't work.
Q: Have you ever stayed at The Plaza Hotel?
A: I'm waiting for Eloise to ask me for a weekend.
Q: Did you have any pets when you were a child, such as a dog or a turtle like Eloise?
A: I cannot recall a moment in time when my family didn't have pets--dogs, cats, finches, gerbils, and turtles. I think they are a vital part of life, as Weenie and Skipperdee are to Eloise.
Q: Do you have a pet now?
A: My cat Ruff is astounding and brilliant. Right now I am teaching him to draw so that I (at seventy-five) can plan an early retirement.
Q: How much research did you do at The Plaza Hotel before you illustrated the first ELOISE book?
A: I have sketchbooks bursting with drawings and notes. If The Plaza should vanish one day for some mysterious reason, come to me--I'll reconstruct it for you.
Q: What have you been up to besides illustrating Eloise Takes A Bawth? Where else have your drawings appeared?
A: I've kept at it. I love work. I have illustrated over fifty books that do not feature Eloise (nine of which I also wrote), and I've done greeting cards, CD covers, Broadway show posters, and lots of magazine illustrations. I've also contributed to Neiman Marcus' catalogue, "The Book," and regularly to Vanity Fair magazine.
Q: Your name is unusual for a man. Is there a story behind the origin of your name?
A: When I was born in the 1920s, Hilary was a man's name. My father, a pilot in World War I, had a
good friend and fellow flyer named Hilary. He liked the name and passed it on to me in 1926.
Q: What do you say to people who insist that Eloise is a "girls' book"?
A: Any boy or girl can respond to another child who has the great luck to have an entire hotel as a playground. And boys love ELOISE IN MOSCOW--lots of spies and mystery and not a trace of pink.
Q: What do you tell kids when they ask you if Eloise really lives at The Plaza?
A: Of course she lives at The Plaza! But she is a free spirit and exceedingly nimble--just when you think she's in the lobby, you hear from the elevator operator that she's on the top floor. That's Eloise.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Contact: Tracy van Straaten 212/698-2809
tracy.van.straaten@simonandschuster.com
This interview has been provided by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and can be reprinted for publication either in full or excerpted as individual questions and answers, so long as they are reprinted in their entirety.
Visit the Hilary's website here.
Reviews
Eloise: The Ultimate Edition
Kay Thompson
Drawings by Hilary Knight
All the world agrees that Eloise is delightful, and we are sooooooooo glad to have her back. The topic to be addressed here, then, is one of packaging. All four of the original Eloise tales are included in this volume, as well as Marie Brenner's nostalgic scrapbook penned for The Absolutely Essential Eloise edition. The only new material added is Hilary Knight's cover. It's a cheerful cover. But Eloise feels cramped, all mashed together. She needs the expanse of individual editions, needs the space--and time--between stories to truly shine. Close, but no cigar. 2000, Simon and Schuster, $35.00. Ages All. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
ISBN: 0-689-83990-1
Best Books:
Not Just for Children Any More, 2001 ; Children's Book Council; Unites States
Eloise's Guide To Life: How To Eat, Dress, Travel, Behave & Stay Six Forever
Kay Thompson
Illustrated by Hilary Knight
Being six years old can be a lot of fun. For Eloise there are certain instructions in life that need to be followed. She definitely has an opinion on how to dress, travel and behave. Her point of view however is not how you would expect a typical six-year-old to act, but then again Eloise is anything but typical. The illustrations are amusing, but the content is lacking. 2000, Simon & Schuster, $9.95. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Sharon Tolle
ISBN: 0689833105
Eloise in Paris
Kay Thompson
Drawings by Hilary Knight
If you are going to Paris France you have to turn into French and absolutely go wild. Obviously this is what Eloise does when her mysterious mother beckons. Richard Avedon must take her passport photos in New York. In Paris Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent must design her clothing. And zut, Eloise and Nahnee must linger at the same Parisienne café as Lena Horne. Mama is a no-show as usual, but Paris makes up for the loss in this delightful reprint from the Eloise saga. One can only look forward to the havoc Eloise wreaks upon cold war Moscow and Christmas in the final two books of the series. 1999 (orig. 1957), Simon and Shuster, $17.00. Ages All. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-689-82704-0
A Firefly in a Fir Tree: A Carol for Mice
Hilary Knight
Using the traditional pattern of "A Partridge in a Pear Tree," Knight has constructed cumulative verses that describe the holiday gifts brought by a mouse named Max to his "true love" Maud. The artist sketches the house where Maud is writing the story as Max brings in the tree for which the firefly is the first decoration. Each day thereafter the couple is busy in the house cleaning, decorating, and welcoming guests for the holiday celebration. Max delivers each gift on the right-hand page; it is shown in use on the following left-hand page in a pinned-up picture complete with title. Good-natured humor abounds; for example, the two silver pins become chopsticks used to eat a fortune cookie complete with fortune. Ever the tease, Knight begins the visual narrative across the jacket/cover with someone (himself ?) peeking into the mouse house along with a bright-eyed cat. The half-title page shows Max ringing the doorbell holding the first present. Then, on the title page, the artist is at his drawing table surrounded by sketches and story props. The story of the two very lively, appealing mice engaged in their variety of activities then begins. The final look inside the crowded house offers a chance to try to count the gifts as they all enjoy "a simply wonderful time." It is fun to compare Knight's version with the original carol. 2004 (orig. 1963), HarperCollins Children's Books, $15.89. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-06-000991-8
ISBN: 0-06-000992-6
Happy Birthday
Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrations by Hilary Knight
This book welcomes children to a joyful birthday celebration. Hopkins collects an assortment of birthday verse penned by poets of children's literature. Knight's whimsical illustrations chronicle the day, starting with waking up: "Today I'll shout and blow my horn. Today is the day that I was born!" The book provides a clever realization--"How old will you be on your birthday? Whatever you are on your birthday, you were never that old before, you will never be that young again!" On to the party, with cake, presents, and games. Pin the tail on the donkey is fun, "except for the time Charlotte got all mixed up and started to pin it on me." We are treated to some wise advice--"The nicest part of birthday fun is sharing it with everyone!" Guaranteed to come true--a birthday wish, to "grow every year!" The essence of a birthday: "Huffy, puffy, sticky, licky. Slippy, drippy, presents on the table, presents on the floor, happy-snappy birthday, happy-snap some more!" The poems evoke a sense of childhood innocence too often lost in a fast-paced world. 2000, Simon & Schuster, $11.95 and $5.95. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Julie Steinberg, J.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-689-83877-8
ISBN: 0-671-79851-0
Hilary Knight's Cinderella
For those readers who collect classics, this version of Cinderella will be noted for its enchanting artwork. Acclaimed artist Hilary Night brings this story of potential and magic alive in glorious detail. Ornate period costume and architecture make you feel like you've landed in the middle of "once upon a time, long, long, ago." He leaves nothing out, including the detail in the tile work around the baseboards and hearth, scrollwork on hat-boxes, book jackets, invitations, vases and the magical pumpkin carriage. On-looking nature reflects the emotion of each scene. The hearts of the characters are mirrored on their faces--the despair of rejection, the green of jealousy, and the joy of being discovered and loved for your inner qualities. The text is well-written. Especially inviting is the hopeful ending, where Cinderella forgives her stepmother and sisters who also learn to love--all under the watchful eye of the fairy godmother. 2001, Random House, $18.99 and $14.95. Ages 5 up. Reviewer: Leslie Verzi Julian (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-375-91422-6
ISBN: 0-375-81422-1
Hilary Knight's The Owl and the Pussy-Cat
Edward Lear
Illustrations by Hilary Knight
Knight places the fanciful poem inside another verbal and visual story, in which young Otto and Polly, attending Professor Comfort's Story and Music Hour, enjoy their adventure at sea, transformed into the title characters until called home for dinner. The jacket introduces the protagonists as they view the professor's magical house; the visual story continues from there, so that each page demands inspection. The gradual transformation of the children is subtly achieved; their adventures in the "land where the bong-tree grows" are deliciously replete with visual metaphors and appealing creatures in deft watercolors. This new edition has added a foldout of the sheet music by Douglas Colby, and notes from Knight and Bernadette Peters, along with concept drawings from Knight's sketchbook. 2001 (orig. 1983), Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.00. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, May 2001; Cahners; United States
ISBN: 0-689-83927-8
Hilary Knight's The Twelve Days of Christmas
Newly separated color art illustrates this reissue of Knight's 1980 playful Christmas offering. A country bear who lives in a modest cabin delivers gifts to his lady love, Bedelia, who lives in a big mansard-roofed house. While she goes about her holiday decorating, the birds, dancers, pipers and so forth pile up in their various locations until a gate-fold opens up to display what she's done--put all the gifts, animals and otherwise, in a huge Christmas Fair. The vendors dispensing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from the circular tables they are wearing is especially ingenious. Throughout the pictures, a masked raccoon tries to open a metal can Bedeila has placed outside her door and finally does to find it filled with a present. It isn't clear whether that package contains a girl raccoon but it's likely. While Knight's pictures hold a certain kindly charm, other versions of the familiar song illustrated by Quentin Blake, Jan Brett or Howard Fine are more humorous, charming or interesting. 2001 (orig. 1980), Simon & Schuster, $17.00. Ages 4 to 9. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-689-83547-7
Kay Thompson's Eloise: The Absolutely Essential Edition
Drawings by Hilary Knight
Eloise lives! Woman-about-New York-and-Hollywood Kay Thompson invented Eloise as a six-year-old alter ego, and with the notable assistance of Hilary Knight's witty and wise drawings, Eloise entered world consciousness in 1955. The original books are now being reprinted to deserved hoopla. Who could resist joining the motherless enfant terrible as she terrorizes the Plaza Hotel in company with Nanny, Weenie the pug, and Skipperdee the turtle? Brenner's addended scrapbook fills in the void of years with lots of Thompson, Knight, and Eloise photos and nostalgia. The package is fun and will delight old-timers, as well as initiate new youngsters to the myth. 1999 (orig. 1955), Simon and Shuster, $19.95. Ages All. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
ISBN: 0689827032
Kay Thompson's Eloise at Christmastime
Drawings by Hilary Knight
In her usual madcap fashion, Eloise prepares for the holidays. She ties bells to her knees and tosses American Beauty roses and reflects on all the presents she plans to give her friends at the Plaza hotel. She hangs a two legged stocking and has a marvelous Christmas dream about steaming hot plum pudding and Santa at the Plaza enjoying Christmas punch. Nanny seems to be the perfect match, and because of her devotion, Eloise seems perfectly happy to celebrate Christmas with her very best friend--Nanny. 1999 (orig. 1958), Simon & Schuster, $17.00. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0689830394
Kay Thompson's Eloise in Moscow
Drawings by Hilary Knight
The latest--and I believe last--of the Eloise books to be reissued finds our intrepid heroine on tour in Moscow. Written at the height of the Cold War, this is a bit of an oddity for the series. There is no summons from her ever-invisible mother, only Eloise and Nanny and Weenie (cold doesn't agree with Skipperdee the turtle, so he's sent back home by diplomatic pouch). There is, however, lots of snow, as well as the archetypical Russian guide, Zhenk. Thompson obviously had an agenda with this story, so we hear about the dreadful food, the dreadful hotels, and the snow shoveling ladies. Warming political relations has not changed much of this. While Eloise herself seems curiously out of sorts with Russia, Hilary Knight is not. His illustrations are consistent, and consistently wonderful--particularly his foldout view of the Kremlin. 2000 (orig. 1959), Simon & Schuster, $17.00. Ages All. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
ISBN: 0689832117
Kay Thompson's Eloise Takes a Bawth
With a little help from Mart Crowley
Illustrated by Hilary Knight
This delightful addition to the "Eloise" series has finally been brought to an eager public after forty years. Nanny wants Eloise to take a bath in her hotel suite because Mr. Salomone, the hotel manager, is coming to tea. Mr. Salomone needs to take a break from the hectic preparations for the Venetian Masked Ball in the "Grawnd Ballroom." Eloise delights in turning on all the faucets of the "grawnd" bathroom, as there is nothing so refreshing as taking a "bawth." As she imagines herself sailing on the ocean, a pirate on a ship, or a little mermaid swimming under the sea, the ceiling of the "Grawnd Ballroom" slowly begins to leak. Of course, right above the "Grawnd Ballroom" is the "grawnd" bathroom. The drawings are whimsical fun, with some pages folding out to display lively panoramic scenes. The inspiration for this story was rumored to be born in Kay Thompson's brain as she soaked in a hot tub in Rome! 2002, Simon & Schuster, $17.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Cheryl Peterson (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, October 1, 2002; United States
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2002; Cahners; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, September 23, 2002; Cahners; United States
ISBN: 0-689-84288-0
Kay Thompson's Eloise's What I Absolutely Love Love Love
Drawings by Hilary Knight
Eloise is popular so illustrations and stories are repackaged for a variety of occasions. This is called "An Eloise Weenie Book" probably because it is so short and in a small format. Eloise announces that she is six and describes what she loves. It ranges from ballet, speaking French, dressing up and room service. Having spent some time with a young nephew, I know that kids really do love room service, but Eloise as usual takes things over the top. Her favorite food is planked medallions of beef, her favorite place to live is the Plaza Hotel and she loves clothes by Dior. Not your average kid, but that is what makes her so engaging--it is a life that kids will never experience. 2005, Simon & Schuster, $9.95. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-689-84965-6
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Betty MacDonald
Illustrated by Hilary Knight
Both the text and the illustrations show their ages, but not at all badly. The situations still exist, although children over seven might find MacDonald's treatment of the fathers rather dated: they invariably retreat to their newspapers, leaving the mothers to cope with the kids. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has no children of her own, but she is a friend to every child in town. To the parents of misbehaving children, she is a genius. She has a cure for every kind of misbehavior, and the children take the cures without complaint. They hardly know they're being treated. Today's sophisticated children will get a good laugh out of it. 1957, HarperTrophy, $14.95. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Judy Silverman (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001; H.W. Wilson; United States
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002; California Department of Education; California
ISBN: 0-397-31710-7
ISBN: 0-397-31712-3
Ten Tall Soldiers
Nancy Robison
Illustrated by Hilary Knight
An oddly shaped King fears his own shadow enough to need constant protection from his soldiers, who rush to his screams every time light is cast on the walls in just the right way. The artwork throughout helps to carry the story along and is heavy with animal imagery, like the words themselves. The king yells for his tall soldiers each time he sees a "monster," and a short boy named Peter comes tagging along with them. The king faces a fierce toad, a hairy spider and a horned dragon before only Peter comes to his aid and sheds light on the reality of the king's "monster." The king is so impressed with Peter's bravery in touching the "monster," that he makes the boy a soldier. This honor happens much to Peter's surprise, for he thought that soldiers had to be tall. The author and artist use repetition to carry the story along, doing so just enough to make each page flow smoothly to next. The king's shadows are drawn abstractedly, while other images are solid, giving visual balance and diversity. 2001, Aladdin Paperbacks, $6.99. Ages 4 to 12. Reviewer: Cherie Ilg Haas (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-689-84325-9
Where's Wallace?
Hilary Knight
Children will delight in this book as they read about Wallace the Ape and his keeper Mr. Frumbee. Wallace is not the average orangutan from the zoo--he longs to see what is outside. When the opportunity arises, Wallace escapes from the zoo to go on unusual adventures with Mr. Frumbee close on his heels. The children can look with Mr. Frumbee as they listen to the story and then locate him in the panorama on the next page. They will follow Wallace and his escapades in a department store, museum, park, circus, ball game, beach, amusement park, and all around town. Following each panorama, the story explains exactly where to find Wallace on the previous page. As he finally finishes his adventures, Wallace realizes that his favorite place is home at the zoo. These classic adventures of Wallace the ape are sure to captivate young audiences and the story should become a favorite for another generation of readers. 2000 (orig. 1964), Simon & Schuster, $17.00. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Nicole Peterson (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Smithsonian Magazine's Notable Books for Children, 2000; Smithsonian; United States
ISBN: 0-689-83992-8
Added 2005
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