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The Secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea: The Story of Annaliese Easterling & Throckmorton, Her Simply Remarkable Sock Monkey
A charming sock monkey reunites a fractured family in this simply remarkable novel in the tradition of The Velveteen Rabbit and The Penderwicks.
Meet Throckmorton S. Monkey. He's everything a sock monkey is supposed to be: Loving. Loyal. A very good listener. And he's never, ever, not even once! stopped smiling. Yet Throckmorton has been long forgotten by his keeper Annaliese Easterling, and he seems doomed to live out his days lost and lonely among other abandoned stuffed animals.
But then one day Great Grand Mama Easterling sends engraved invitations to forty-nine sock monkeys to attend her ninetieth birthday along with their human keepers. Throckmorton is thrilled! The arrival of his invitation brings him back together with Annaliese. And he vows to do something so remarkable, so amazing, she will never want to be separated from him again.
Indeed, over just a few days, Throckmorton will survive being buried in a blizzard. He'll be spared from a vicious attacker. But best of all, he'll find a way to reunite Annaliese with the one person she most longs to know. Not bad for a stuffed toy, if you're to believe that's all Throckmorton S. Monkey really is.
Meet Throckmorton S. Monkey. He's everything a sock monkey is supposed to be: Loving. Loyal. A very good listener. And he's never, ever, not even once! stopped smiling. Yet Throckmorton has been long forgotten by his keeper Annaliese Easterling, and he seems doomed to live out his days lost and lonely among other abandoned stuffed animals.
But then one day Great Grand Mama Easterling sends engraved invitations to forty-nine sock monkeys to attend her ninetieth birthday along with their human keepers. Throckmorton is thrilled! The arrival of his invitation brings him back together with Annaliese. And he vows to do something so remarkable, so amazing, she will never want to be separated from him again.
Indeed, over just a few days, Throckmorton will survive being buried in a blizzard. He'll be spared from a vicious attacker. But best of all, he'll find a way to reunite Annaliese with the one person she most longs to know. Not bad for a stuffed toy, if you're to believe that's all Throckmorton S. Monkey really is.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2014
9 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Beha
2 books6 followersEileen Beha is the author of Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog (Bloomsbury, 2009), which was inspired by her love of animals and summers on Prince Edward Island. A former middle school principal, Eileen received an MFA in creative writing from Hamline University, also studying with Kate DiCamillo and Jane Resh Thomas. She lives in Minneapolis and Miami with her husband and their two dogs, Tango and Louise.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 19, 2017
Throckmorton the sock monkey belongs to Annaliese Easterling, a girl who has been homeschooled and shut in her family castle nearly her entire life. Annaliese's mother mysteriously disappeared long ago, so she and her twin brothers are mainly seen after by caregivers and maids.
One strange day, Great Grandmama Easterling sends invitations addressed to 49 sock monkeys in the family, including Throckmorton. The story takes us on a journey to figure out why monkeys need a party, what Great Grandmama is plotting, and if perhaps Annaliese's mother plays a role.
I started out enjoying this book. I liked Throckmorton's narration and his perspective as an unusual narrator. But midway through the book, I lost steam. A few elements seem misplaced (spiked punch, adult relationships), and the plot was muddled. No spoilers, but I wasn't impressed with the ending either.
One strange day, Great Grandmama Easterling sends invitations addressed to 49 sock monkeys in the family, including Throckmorton. The story takes us on a journey to figure out why monkeys need a party, what Great Grandmama is plotting, and if perhaps Annaliese's mother plays a role.
I started out enjoying this book. I liked Throckmorton's narration and his perspective as an unusual narrator. But midway through the book, I lost steam. A few elements seem misplaced (spiked punch, adult relationships), and the plot was muddled. No spoilers, but I wasn't impressed with the ending either.
January 1, 2018
This is not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. But I was disappointed. I felt it promised me something that wasn’t delivered. That is my opinion. I appreciate the effort and time it takes to craft a story. I hope many people enjoy it. That being said ...
I began by loving this book. An intriguing idea flecked with mystery and peppered with classic children’s literary style of writing and early 20th century lingo. It was fun and exciting. Until it wasn’t. I hoped it would be magical and fun. But it ended up being a book about contemporary dysfunctional family issues dressed up in a sock monkey costume. I stayed up late to finish it. I want those hours of sleep back! I want a do over!
I began by loving this book. An intriguing idea flecked with mystery and peppered with classic children’s literary style of writing and early 20th century lingo. It was fun and exciting. Until it wasn’t. I hoped it would be magical and fun. But it ended up being a book about contemporary dysfunctional family issues dressed up in a sock monkey costume. I stayed up late to finish it. I want those hours of sleep back! I want a do over!
March 26, 2015
This story takes plot elements similar to "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams, but explores topics such as divorce, abandonment, and the joy of being loved. Annaliese Easterling loved her sock puppet, Throckmorton, until a horrible incident happened that made her abandon the toy. When she rediscovers it she brings it to life with her love and friendship. Life is difficult in the Easterling household since their mother ran away nine years ago. The oldest boy, Evan, is angry, isolated, and mean-spirited at times. The middle child, Teddy, is more kind to his sister and those around him. However, the father rules with an iron fist, not allowing the children to ask any questions about their mother or letting them have any communication with her. Annaliese is isolated more than any of them. Her brothers are going to military school and a tutor has been hired to teach her. She is not allowed to have friends or go out and it leaves her only Throckmorton, her sock monkey, as her friend.
When an invitation arrives for a large family gathering with their sock monkeys, a hunt begins to find the two that have been misplaced by Evan and the father. When Annaliese finds the sock monkeys in the forbidden attic, she also discovers clues to who her mother was before she left the house. The tutor, Miss Pine, helps Annaliese's father deal with his children in a more healthy way as they begin to question him about the items in the attic that was their mothers. When Annaliese gets together with her grandmother, she learns not only how to sew a sock monkey, but gathers more information about her mother.
The point-of-view is from Throckmorton, which allows the reader to see how all the characters are reacting to each other. The drama, action, and pacing are well done. When Annaliese comes down with pneumonia, I thought of the boy in "The Velveteen Rabbit," that comes down with Scarlet Fever. The author does not follow the same plot and puts her own unique twist that is original from the classic. I got a kick out of the grandma who loves horses which again made me think Margery William's Skin Horse, the wisest and oldest toy in the playroom that tells the Velveteen Rabbit that children's love is what makes toys real. The same is in this story. The sock monkeys are only alive when a child loves them. However the imagery of a child abandoning a toy juxtaposed with a mother abandoning her children is completely unique.
The Esterling grandma handmade all her grandchildren sock monkeys that made me think of how people will give presents like this, but they are not always appreciated as they should be. I was a bit convicted thinking about a person that handmade an ornament that I would hide because I thought it was so ugly. Really it is the effort and love in the item that should be seen more than the product. Even in school I think I focus on students creating products versus thinking of the process. Anyway, it is worth reflecting on how actions impact others. An intriguing story that would make a good read aloud.
When an invitation arrives for a large family gathering with their sock monkeys, a hunt begins to find the two that have been misplaced by Evan and the father. When Annaliese finds the sock monkeys in the forbidden attic, she also discovers clues to who her mother was before she left the house. The tutor, Miss Pine, helps Annaliese's father deal with his children in a more healthy way as they begin to question him about the items in the attic that was their mothers. When Annaliese gets together with her grandmother, she learns not only how to sew a sock monkey, but gathers more information about her mother.
The point-of-view is from Throckmorton, which allows the reader to see how all the characters are reacting to each other. The drama, action, and pacing are well done. When Annaliese comes down with pneumonia, I thought of the boy in "The Velveteen Rabbit," that comes down with Scarlet Fever. The author does not follow the same plot and puts her own unique twist that is original from the classic. I got a kick out of the grandma who loves horses which again made me think Margery William's Skin Horse, the wisest and oldest toy in the playroom that tells the Velveteen Rabbit that children's love is what makes toys real. The same is in this story. The sock monkeys are only alive when a child loves them. However the imagery of a child abandoning a toy juxtaposed with a mother abandoning her children is completely unique.
The Esterling grandma handmade all her grandchildren sock monkeys that made me think of how people will give presents like this, but they are not always appreciated as they should be. I was a bit convicted thinking about a person that handmade an ornament that I would hide because I thought it was so ugly. Really it is the effort and love in the item that should be seen more than the product. Even in school I think I focus on students creating products versus thinking of the process. Anyway, it is worth reflecting on how actions impact others. An intriguing story that would make a good read aloud.
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May 12, 2015Throckmorton is certainly an engaging (and unique) narrator and the story of the Easterlings was interesting enough. Writing is decent, too. Just didn't captivate me and I have so little time to read these days I must be captivated to stay with it. If synopsis sounds good to you, though, do give it a try.
March 1, 2017
Unusual and engaging narrative voice. The main human character is 9 and the writing seems pitched to the youngest middle-grade readers (especially with the sweet illustrations throughout). Some of the material seems better suited for older readers, though - and I wonder if they would be as willing to engage with a book with this cover and narrator?
July 17, 2017
Told from the point of view of Throckmorten, a sock monkey who just wants to do something of importance. Throckmorten belongs to Annaliese a lonely young girl whose mother, Olivia abandoned her and her older brothers when she was a baby. Why did Olivia really leave the Easterling estate?
When a mysterious invitation for Annaliese's great grandma 90th birthday party is sent and addressed to Throckmorten, he wonders and hopes that it will be a memorable and important moment for him. As for Annaliese, is it possible that great grandma has a secret that could help her find out the truth about her mother? Is Throckmorten part of the secret?
Fans of The Doll People or The Penderwicks will like this one.
When a mysterious invitation for Annaliese's great grandma 90th birthday party is sent and addressed to Throckmorten, he wonders and hopes that it will be a memorable and important moment for him. As for Annaliese, is it possible that great grandma has a secret that could help her find out the truth about her mother? Is Throckmorten part of the secret?
Fans of The Doll People or The Penderwicks will like this one.
March 6, 2018
Cute, sweet, innocent story about a girl who has never met her mother and wonders where she is, hoping to meet her one day. I enjoyed the setting of the story; in the recent past (date unknown), in Maine. The unique part of this story is that it is told from the perspective of the girl's handmade sock monkey. A young girl who enjoys books that take place in the past, and likes books about mother-daughter and mother-father relationships would enjoy this book.
I didn't give it 5 stars (really I would like to give it a 3.5) is because the plot can be a bit boring at times and slow to progress.
I didn't give it 5 stars (really I would like to give it a 3.5) is because the plot can be a bit boring at times and slow to progress.
March 30, 2018
“Everything you need to live a rich and happy life already resides in your sock monkey’s heart. Love...and loyalty...listening...and a never-ending smile.” - Eileen Beha, The Secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea
——
An adorable, fun book told from the perspective of an adored sock monkey named Throckmorton. I smiled my way through this quick read and was captivated by these loving sock monkeys and their keepers.
Ever since I took a class on Children’s Literature, I’ve enjoyed the genre as an adult and keeping up with the book award candidates. This book did not disappoint, and should be enjoyed by readers of all ages!
——
An adorable, fun book told from the perspective of an adored sock monkey named Throckmorton. I smiled my way through this quick read and was captivated by these loving sock monkeys and their keepers.
Ever since I took a class on Children’s Literature, I’ve enjoyed the genre as an adult and keeping up with the book award candidates. This book did not disappoint, and should be enjoyed by readers of all ages!
January 24, 2025
I was given this book as a gift from my parents when I was 7 for Christmas, and when I first read it, I did not remember it, nor did I reread it ever. So now, I decided to reread it to see if it’s more memorable now.
I don’t think it was super amazing but it was cute. It was kind of sad.
Now I think I know why this story was unremarkable or rememberable to me.
I wish there was more about the monkeys.
It was a nice book though.
I don’t think it was super amazing but it was cute. It was kind of sad.
Now I think I know why this story was unremarkable or rememberable to me.
I wish there was more about the monkeys.
It was a nice book though.
July 10, 2021
It was a slow start but a sweet and satisfying finish for me. I'd highly recommend for children (or adults) who enjoy stories of vast houses, vast families, family secrets, and quirky but likeable characters. I really would enjoy a prequel or a sequel, but as this was written nearly ten years ago, I'm not sure I should hope too much for one.
June 29, 2017
A very old-fashioned story, and I mean that in a good way. The style draws on Paddington and Winnie-the-Pooh, while still being unique to itself. The stumble, unfortunately, came at a strange and too-abrupt end. Ah, well. Generally recommended.
February 10, 2018
An adorable and touching novel that would be fun to read with a little girl. Gave me a nostalgic feeling, wishing I could go back in time to get a glimpse of my stuffed animals and favorite toys from when I was young. Time to get out the needle and thread to make my own Sock Monkey.
August 15, 2018
This story is sweet and profound, but is by no means without its flaws. It is slow to start and to engage the reader, and it is rather clunky in parts. Reading it out loud is awkward in places. But this book is still well-worth the read.
May 16, 2017
The ending seemed sudden.
November 16, 2019
4.5 stars.
October 29, 2020
This book was a little hard to figure out at first but a very sweet book. It has some romance, family love, and mystery in it. It isn’t long so good for intermediate readers. One you will enjoy
May 7, 2017
A very cute, quick read for the younger end of middle grade, the story of a little girl told from the point of view of her sock monkey Throckmorton, definitely reminiscent of The Velveteen Rabbit.
February 19, 2016
The narrator is a sock monkey. He belongs to a nine year old little girl in a very rich family whom all receive sock monkeys at their birth. The story involves the curious existence of the sock monkeys and the secret disappearance and forbidden subject of the girl and her brothers’ mother when they were little. It is beautifully and intriguingly written, and I honestly read it every spare moment I could find. It is not often you find a young novel written with such great mystery that you are questioning until the very end.
I do have two small disappointments about the book. One, and I am sad to say this, I found myself wishing for different illustrations. I love Sarah Jane’s work and especially her textiles, but I did not think her style was a perfect fit for this story. The illustrations are rightfully sparse throughout the chapter book, but that fact made me want more detail, more emotion, more mystery in the style. Sarah Jane is a very clean, simple illustrator. Though I still love her work, I think someone like Emily Winfield Martin would have been much more suited here, with her soulful-eyed characters, intricately patterned details, and her subtle tones of mystery.
Second, I was a little let-down by the ending. It was a good finish, but not a storybook ending. I rather love tidy, perfect-world endings; and this book didn’t really give me that. It was much more realistic in broken relationships, with forgiveness, but not really reconciliation. I understand this, but in some ways wish we didn’t always make fiction broken like reality. Hope is beautiful, and often we need things like lovely literature to give us hope in a sad world. It was a nice ending, and I have made peace with it, but I couldn’t help but mourn the state of our society and marriages as played out in the finish.
Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it.
I do have two small disappointments about the book. One, and I am sad to say this, I found myself wishing for different illustrations. I love Sarah Jane’s work and especially her textiles, but I did not think her style was a perfect fit for this story. The illustrations are rightfully sparse throughout the chapter book, but that fact made me want more detail, more emotion, more mystery in the style. Sarah Jane is a very clean, simple illustrator. Though I still love her work, I think someone like Emily Winfield Martin would have been much more suited here, with her soulful-eyed characters, intricately patterned details, and her subtle tones of mystery.
Second, I was a little let-down by the ending. It was a good finish, but not a storybook ending. I rather love tidy, perfect-world endings; and this book didn’t really give me that. It was much more realistic in broken relationships, with forgiveness, but not really reconciliation. I understand this, but in some ways wish we didn’t always make fiction broken like reality. Hope is beautiful, and often we need things like lovely literature to give us hope in a sad world. It was a nice ending, and I have made peace with it, but I couldn’t help but mourn the state of our society and marriages as played out in the finish.
Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it.
April 27, 2015
Throckmorton S. Monkey is a sad sock monkey. He has been stuck in a smelly net in the corner of his keeper, Annaliese's room, for years. He used to be her favorite toy, but seems to have been forgotten as she gets older. Things change when great grandmama Easterling sends invitations to all her sock monkeys and keepers for a party. Annaliese's father and brothers must find their sock monkeys. The family has been in a funk ever since the mom left years ago. The father doesn't want anyone to talk about the mom ask any questions about her. Annaliese learns more about her family and the sock monkeys from her great grandmother. The night of the party other mysteries arise and the sock monkeys and their keepers have to figure out what is going on.
I am almost positive I have never read a book from the perspective of a sock monkey before. It was an interesting perspective and kind of reminded me of the Toy Story movies where the toys have their own lives independent of their owners. I liked the fact that great grandma made all the sock monkeys and the love and care she put into them made them alive. The mystery kind of took a back seat for me with everything else that was going on. I just wanted to read more about Annaliese and Throckmorton. I also wouldn't have minded more about great grandma and how she came up with everything.
I am almost positive I have never read a book from the perspective of a sock monkey before. It was an interesting perspective and kind of reminded me of the Toy Story movies where the toys have their own lives independent of their owners. I liked the fact that great grandma made all the sock monkeys and the love and care she put into them made them alive. The mystery kind of took a back seat for me with everything else that was going on. I just wanted to read more about Annaliese and Throckmorton. I also wouldn't have minded more about great grandma and how she came up with everything.
August 14, 2014
The Secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea is a brand-new novel for elementary-age kids that’s wonderfully old-fashioned. It’s got all the elements of a good family read-aloud: absolutely adorable sock monkeys (especially the one named Throckmorton), a coastal Maine setting, and a determined young girl.
Annaliese is desperate to get to the bottom of a mystery: why did her mother leave when she was a toddler and why has she never come back to the hulking old mansion at Eastcliff-by-the-Sea?
Throckmorton is a handmade sock monkey. Like all of his kind, he is:
"Loving.
Loyal.
A very good listener.
And he’[s] never—not even once!—stopped smiling."
Lately, however, he’s been neglected by his human, Annaliese. To make sure he’s not consigned to the bottom of a toy box, Throckmorton must do something extraordinary.
Author Eileen Beha brings these two parallel storylines together, spinning a compelling tale of smiling sock monkeys and secrets revealed. With plenty of suspense, plot twists, and a houseful of relatives, this novel is bursting with appeal.
Annaliese is desperate to get to the bottom of a mystery: why did her mother leave when she was a toddler and why has she never come back to the hulking old mansion at Eastcliff-by-the-Sea?
Throckmorton is a handmade sock monkey. Like all of his kind, he is:
"Loving.
Loyal.
A very good listener.
And he’[s] never—not even once!—stopped smiling."
Lately, however, he’s been neglected by his human, Annaliese. To make sure he’s not consigned to the bottom of a toy box, Throckmorton must do something extraordinary.
Author Eileen Beha brings these two parallel storylines together, spinning a compelling tale of smiling sock monkeys and secrets revealed. With plenty of suspense, plot twists, and a houseful of relatives, this novel is bursting with appeal.
August 14, 2014
The Secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea is a brand-new novel for elementary-age kids that’s wonderfully old-fashioned. It’s got all the elements of a good family read-aloud: absolutely adorable sock monkeys (especially the one named Throckmorton), a coastal Maine setting, and a determined young girl.
Annaliese is desperate to get to the bottom of a mystery: why did her mother leave when she was a toddler and why has she never come back to the hulking old mansion at Eastcliff-by-the-Sea?
Throckmorton is a handmade sock monkey. Like all of his kind, he is:
"Loving.
Loyal.
A very good listener.
And he’[s] never—not even once!—stopped smiling."
Lately, however, he’s been neglected by his human, Annaliese. To make sure he’s not consigned to the bottom of a toy box, Throckmorton must do something extraordinary.
Author Eileen Beha brings these two parallel storylines together, spinning a compelling tale of smiling sock monkeys and secrets revealed. With plenty of suspense, plot twists, and a houseful of relatives, this novel is bursting with appeal.
Annaliese is desperate to get to the bottom of a mystery: why did her mother leave when she was a toddler and why has she never come back to the hulking old mansion at Eastcliff-by-the-Sea?
Throckmorton is a handmade sock monkey. Like all of his kind, he is:
"Loving.
Loyal.
A very good listener.
And he’[s] never—not even once!—stopped smiling."
Lately, however, he’s been neglected by his human, Annaliese. To make sure he’s not consigned to the bottom of a toy box, Throckmorton must do something extraordinary.
Author Eileen Beha brings these two parallel storylines together, spinning a compelling tale of smiling sock monkeys and secrets revealed. With plenty of suspense, plot twists, and a houseful of relatives, this novel is bursting with appeal.
December 5, 2015
Throckmorton S. Monkey is not like the other stuffed animals trapped in the smelly net above his keeper Anneliese's bed. Throckmorton is a very special, hand sewn with love, sock monkey that has seen Anneliese through all of her lonely years at Eastcliff-by the-Sea. Everything changes for Anneliese and Throckmorton, though, when they and the rest of the family are invited to an extra special party exclusively for sock monkeys and their keepers! This sweet, honest tale of loyalty and love amidst a background of family problems such as secrecy and divorce has both it's tearful moments and laugh out loud hysterical moments that will keep you entertained through every single page turn. Children ages 8-11 will adore this lightly illustrated transitional chapter book that has themes of fantasy and realism all rolled into one sweet book with a lot of heart.
December 9, 2014
Annaliese Easterling and her sock monkey, Throckmorton S. Monkey, unravel the mystery of why her mother left her family when she was just a baby. This was a fun book to read with charming writing. The setting of the story is 1930s Maine, in a very well-to-do house that belongs to a very well-to-do family. The story is told from the point of view of Throckmorton, and therefore contains some of the magic young children will like involving stuffed animals coming to life. I think this would be a great book to read aloud to a younger elementary aged child or for a somewhat older elementary aged child (ages 8-10) to read on their own.
November 23, 2015
Told from the point of view of Throckton S. Monkey, one of the 49 sock monkeys created by Great Grandma Easterling, this story takes place in New England in the 1930s. Annaliese's mother disappeared when she was a baby. All she wants is to know about her, but her father has forbidden anyone in the house from discussing her. As plans for Great Grandma Easterling's 90th birthday party are under way, Annaliese wonders if there is someway that she can learn more. A sweet adventure with a satisfying conclusion to the mystery. Recommended for grades 2-4.
November 17, 2016
The secrets of Eastclif by the sea is a story about a family with a 90 year old great grandma who has made sock monkeys for all her descendants. The main character is the sock monkey of the youngest descendant. The girls mother left when she was just a baby. In the end the two final meet and all is well. I thought it was a great book though there were a few parts that I thought dragged on a little bit. Other wise this book is a great book for someone who likes books told about things that don't actually live but do in the story. In all it was an awesome story with a few funny parts.
January 26, 2016
I am not really the ideal audience for books about the inner life of stuffed animals. Even though, in real life I frequently anthropomorphize stuffed animals. Go figure. Anyway, this is pretty twee, which is probably not surprising. Alas, not quite the brand of twee that I respond to. It's sweet and nice and would probably make very nice before bedtime reading.
April 12, 2015
I really enjoyed this new children's novel. It was funny; I laughed and chucked often. And the deeper, sadder lines, the "secrets," are made less sorrowful by the slightly unbelievable, removed setting. The writing is mature enough, but simple enough too. I'll be interested in seeing how others react to this book.
August 7, 2015
Great! Ease of reading, interest level good for grades 3 and 4 especially . The sock monkeys and their owners are invited to a birthday party for the lady who made all of the monkeys. A mystery surrounds the party and some of the guests.
July 9, 2016
This is a great choice for 2nd to 5th grade chapter book readers, especially if they like a more old-fashioned feel. The story is predictable but still has some good plot twists, the writing is charming, and the sock monkey characters are especially interesting. I could see a sequel coming...
August 29, 2014
children's fiction (3rd-5th grades?); sock monkey drama, daughter reunites with mother.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews