Ellie Goodwin is the owner of the house with the Magic Attic, where the Magic Attic Club go to have their adventures.
Appearance[]
Ellie has graying hair (originally a reddish brown or auburn) often worn back in one braid and flaming blue eyes, which often sparkle with mischief. She is also short. She wears a pair of glasses that she often misplaces. The illustrations never actually show her face; when her face is turned forward, it's often blocked out, so she's only seen from behind.
Personality and Interests[]
Ellie is patient, mischievous, mysterious, and enigmatic. She has a youthful quality about her, yet she's wise and good at giving advice. When Ellie was younger, she was danger-prone.
Ellie is multi-talented and she gives voice lessons, ballet lessons, piano lessons, guitar lessons, and acting classes. Ellie also loves to garden and read mystery and horror novels.
She's often found cooking in her kitchen, including quite rare and interesting foods.
Ellie was an actress in her past. Her acting career led her all around the world, and her home is filled with souvenirs and other objects she acquired while traveling.
Ellie has a magic mirror in her attic and a wardrobe filled with costumes that she allows the Magic Attic Club members to explore. It was passed down from her family. When Ellie was younger, she used to travel through the mirror with her own friends. It's unclear where this magic mirror came from or how Ellie's family came to own it. It appears Ellie is somehow linked to its magic. Somehow, costumes automatically replenish in the wardrobe and conveniently show up when the Magic Attic Club members need them. It's unclear whether Ellie replaces them herself or if some sort of magic is involved.
She took a certain interest in Heather, Megan, Keisha, and Alison, and eventually Rose (and Chloe and Jane). It is unclear why she chose Heather, Megan, Keisha, and Alison as bearers of the attic key or why she allowed them specifically to utilize the mirror. It's also unclear why she allowed Jane to enter the attic alone (considering the book that fleshes Jane's story out is difficult to find). After the initial members found her attic key in the snow, Ellie appeared to resolve that they were meant for the attic and its magic mirror. It's possible she may have remembered them traveling to her time in the past. She may have been waiting for them to be born, running into their parents, especially their mothers, as she grew up. Ms. Ryder, Ms. McCann, and Ms. Hardin took lessons from Ellie, and they appeared to know her very well, even knowing about the magic key. Keisha's mother also seemed to know her, allowing her daughter to visit Ellie the first day Keisha met her. Ellie has also stated that she knew Rose's family for years. It's unclear how connected she is to Chloe and Jane.
Ellie appeared to know that the girls had visited her in the past when their adventure was over. It's unclear whether the event was real, apart of the girls' imagination coming to life through the mirror, or part of some magic that Ellie has (considering she seemed to know the exact adventure they went on when they returned to tell her about it). Some fans speculate that Ellie and her family had been waiting for them, considering they didn't react too strongly to the 1990's dresses the girls were seen wearing and they didn't seem too surprised that the girls showed up in the house unexpectedly. It's also unclear whether Ellie or her parents knew Heather, Megan, Keisha, and Alison had traveled through the mirror to get to Ellie. Still, at the time, Ellie appeared to have a certain group of friends visiting her the day the girls visited, so it's possible the parents just assumed they were part of Ellie's group of friends. Regardless, she becomes very close with the Magic Attic Club. The members run Ellie's errands, attend events with her, and even threw her a birthday party. They also share their secret adventures with her as well.
The Magic Attic Club members often seek out Ellie when they are upset or seeking advice. Heather lives across the street from Ellie and takes ballet lessons from her. Megan lives down the street from Ellie, and takes piano and guitar lessons from Ellie. She also enjoys combing through Ellie's library. Keisha lives down the street from Ellie and shows interest in her voice lessons. Alison lives next door to Ellie, and is the closest to her pet terrier dog Monty. Rose lives down the street from Ellie and gives Ellie, and some of Ellie's other students, computer lessons. Jane met Ellie at an open house and was invited to the attic before meeting the MAC. Chloe's personal relationship with Ellie remains unknown.
Family and Background[]
Ellie was born May 16th. Though her full name is Eleanor, everyone calls her "Ellie". The Magic Attic Club speculate that she is in her "50s or 60s" at the start of the series, though Alison stated she appeared as old as her Great Aunt Bess. Ellie was a child in the 1930s during the Great Depression.
Ellie has lived on Primrose Street her whole life. She inherited her family home, the magic attic, and the magic mirror, but it's unclear which side of the family Ellie got everything from. Her home was left empty for a long time while she was traveling as an actress until she finally moved back, which was the day she met Heather, Megan, Keisha, and Alison.
Family and Family Friends[]
- Monty: Ellie's white terrier dog.
- Mother: A hospitable woman who invites Heather, Megan, Keisha, and Alison into her home, despite only knowing them a short while. She and Ellie used to bake Christmas cookies together.
- Father: A tall well-dressed man. When the younger Ellie falls in ice in The Secret of the Attic, he's the one who's carrying her inside to get care for her.
- Grandmother: A feisty and take-charge woman who ushers the household to work together to help her granddaughter after she falls in ice. Heather compares her to her own grandmother.
- Attic Angels: Ellie used to travel through the magic attic herself along with some friends she formed a club with, who called themselves the Attic Angels. It's unclear what happened to the club members or who or where they are now. Ellie gives some hints about their adventures (like visiting a Loch Ness Monster), but not much else is mentioned.
- Dorothy: Ellie's friend from high school. It's never specified whether she was a part of the Attic Angels. She and Ellie are considered opposites. They are often at odds because of how different they are, but they are still close.
- Caretaker: Ellie had a caretaker watching her house while she was away before moving back to Primrose Street. It's never specified if this person knows about the magic attic or the magic mirror.
Magic Attic Club Friends[]
Story Appearances[]
Ellie appears in all stories prior to the reboot except The Jewel of the Sea Cruise, where she is only mentioned.
Trivia[]
- With the reboot of the line by Marian to The Magic Attic in 2003, Ellie was removed and replaced with an aunt for Megan, Aunt Maggie. This is rumored to be because the new head of the company, Marie Osmond, didn't like the idea of children having free access to an unrelated neighbor's home.
Catalog Quotes about Ellie[]
"The day we first made friends with our new neighbor, Ellie, she gave us the key to her attic and said we could play there anytime. We raced all the way upstairs, and what we found was like a dream come true.
There's a trunk in the attic filled with the most beautiful dresses you've ever seen--ball gowns, ballerina tutus, princess gowns, plus outfits to wear for all of our favorite sports, like horseback riding, gymnastics-- even figure skating!
But that isn't the best part. There's a mirror, too. You just dress up in an outfit from the trunk and look into the mirror--and all of sudden, you're on an adventure, like a fantasy that becomes real!
You can have a key to the attic too, and play with us whenever you want. It's like having a birthday party that never ends!"
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ She is nearly the same age as the club members when they see her in the 1930s.