The Eleventh Hour

The Eleventh Hour
Graeme Base
Harry N. Abrams, 1989
Pages: 32
Reading level: 4-8
Genre: Mystery

The Eleventh Hour is about an elephant named Horace. It is Horace's 11th birthday, and so he decides to have a party. He invites many friends, and makes a big feast. His friends are astounded by the feast, but Horace doesn't let them eat just yet...he wants to play some games first! So they play tennis and chess and many others. Finally, it is time to eat. But when they get to the kitchen all of the food is gone! The reader finds out that it is THEIR job to go back through the book and figure out who did it. There are clues on every page, some easy, some difficult, and it is a long adventure to figure out the mystery. In the end, you find out that it was the mouse, and 111 friends.

I think anyone of any age would benefit from this book. The actual story-line is simple enough for even young children to understand, but the clues are challenging enough for adults and older children. It is fun for all.

The only problem I see this book causing is children never wanting to put it down because it is so good!

I loved this book, and spent hours trying to figure out the clues.

My rating: *****