The Eleventh Hour - by Graeme Base

About the Book

When Horace turns 11, he celebrates in grand style by inviting his friends to a splendid party. When the time comes for the birthday banquet, a most curious mystery will be revealed. Base has hidden messages that will keep sleuths searching happily for hours for the answer to the mystery. Full color.

Book Synopsis

The inventive birthday-themed New York Times bestseller from the author of the international bestseller Animalia

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.

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 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.

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.

Whether you or 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!