The Eleventh Hour

by Graeme Base

Overview

New York Times bestseller!
From the author of the international bestseller Animalia!
CBCA Picture Book of the Year!

When Horace the elephant turns 11, he celebrates in style by inviting his exotic friends to a splendid costume party. But a mystery is afoot, for in the midst of the games, music, and revelry, someone has eaten the birthday feast. The culprit could be any of a number of exotically costumed animal guests, from a pig dressed as an admiral to a pair of giraffes in tutus to a zebra gone punk.

As in Base’s hugely popular bestseller Animalia, his lush, intricately detailed illustrations in The Eleventh Hour comprise a sort of visual hide-and-seek. The rhyming text and lavish illustrations each provide clues, and it’s up to the reader to piece them together and decide whodunit!

The fun of poring over the artwork for hidden messages and significant clues is matched by the joy of a birthday as described in the text—witty, clever, laugh-out-loud verses that are just as unusual, surprising, and full of life.

It will take a clever sleuth to deduce the thief’s identity. But don’t worry, you can sneak a peek at the top-secret solution if you need to. No, it won’t be easy, but the joy in a Graeme Base book can be the thrill of the chase.

Whether your child is a huge fan of the international sensation Animalia, has read all the Graeme Base picture books, or is new to the worlds that Base creates, this beautiful, full-color book will bring joy to bedtime, story time, a rainy day, or anytime!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810932654
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/20/1993
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	208,864
Product dimensions:	8.25(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.45(d)
Lexile:	AD1070L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

Editorial Reviews

As in Base's Animalia , his lush, intricately detailed illustrations in The Eleventh Hour comprise a sort of visual hide-and-seek. Here, the stakes are clues to the solution of a mystery: Who has surreptitiously eaten the feast prepared for Horace the Elephant's 11th birthday party? The culprit could be any of a number of exotically costumed animal guests, from a pig dressed as an admiral to a pair of giraffes in tutus to a zebra gone punk. The fun of poring over the pictures for hidden messages and significant particulars is, happily, matched by the enjoyment derived from the text--witty, ingenious verses that ably skirt the singsong or mundane. It will take an exceptionally persistent sleuth to deduce the thief's identity; many readers may resort to breaking the seal to the ``top secret'' solution. Thus enlightened, those returning to the scenes of the crime may still find some clues difficult to discern; in particular, the large number of concealed ``mice'' are almost impossible to make out. But it is, as Base points out, the thrill of the chase that matters most; and on this count the work scores high marks. All ages. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 3-6-- This picture book is a puzzle mystery written in verse. When Horace the elephant turns 11, he decides to throw an elaborate birthday party and invites 11 friends. The animal guests arrive in costume, and entertain themselves with a variety of activities until it is time to eat. When the 11th hour arrives, however, they are horrified to find that the entire feast has been eaten. All guests protest their innocence, and Horace comes through with sandwiches to save the day. What remains is for readers to discover the culprit. ``The Inside Story,'' a sealed section of pages containing the solution to the mystery and explanations of the plethora of clues and puzzles in the book, follows the story. Intricate watercolor and acrylic paintings in vibrant colors crowd each page, assaulting readers with activity and detail. Both text and paintings are framed by black-and-white decorative borders that provide still more detail. After either breaking a code through careful observation (very, very careful, one must assume) or checking ``The Inside Story,'' readers will uncover the identity of the villains. They are hidden everywhere: in the borders and in the body of the illustrations, but only very patient, persistent children will be motivated to detect every one of them. --Corinne Camarata, Port Washington Public Library, NY

School Library Journal