This book was truly one of my absolute childhood favourites!!!

It belongs to that special category of books where each time you open its pages, you stumble upon something new and different.

Every single page is filled with several fascinating clues that keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat.

I vividly remember spending AGES trying to solve the mystery within its pages.

The answers, conveniently located at the back, added an extra element of anticipation.

Not only were the clues captivating, but the story itself was also really good.

It had a great plot that held my attention from start to finish.

I would most definitely recommend this book to others.

However, make sure you have several hours of free time available because there are a plethora of clues and interesting little side notes just waiting to be discovered.

It's a book that will keep you entertained and challenged for a good while. :D

The eleventh hour: A Curious Mystery by Graeme Base is a captivating tale. It's about an elephant named Horace who is hosting his eleventh birthday party. As the host, Horace invites ten of his closest friends, including Pig, Zebra, Rhino, Swan, a Began Tiger, Mouse, Cat, Sam the crocodile, and twin sister giraffes. He creates eleven games for entertainment and cooks an extravagant feast consisting of eleven “sorts of foods like Elephants like the best.” Despite his party guests arriving early in the morning, Horace decides that they all must eat at the eleventh hour.

However, when it's time to eat, Horace and all his friends discover that the delicious feast he prepared has already been eaten. Readers are left wondering who really ate all the feast. I've always loved reading mystery books as a child because I thought they were so cool. It's always great when an author can come up with a really great mystery. When I first started reading this story, I was a bit confused about where the true mystery was going to come in. But Base created a fun and interactive mystery for readers to solve.

I can tell that the age audience is geared towards older children. To solve the mystery, one must examine and analyze all the detailed illustrations and look for secret clubs, hidden messages, or any possible “red herring.” This is one of the reasons why this book is so much fun to read as an adult and would be even more enjoyable to read to children. If you read this book aloud to a child, you can use it as an example to teach them to read between the lines and pay attention to all the details. Some examples include the pencils with the words “drawing conclusions from sketchy clues may lead you astray” carved into them, a message in the gates of Horace's house, writing on the walls in the hall, woven letters in the banners, mixed random letters/morse code/hieroglyphs in the outline of the illustrations, and highlighted numbers in the bingo card.

Base follows a coupled rhyme scheme throughout the book (AABB). Although his story includes only animals, he uses anthropomorphism to give them human-like characteristics. I think even if children can't solve the mystery or aren't very interested in solving it, they will still enjoy the story because neither the story nor the illustrations are boring.

I have a deep affection for the mystery puzzles presented in this book. They have an alluring charm that keeps pulling me in.

However, I must be honest and admit that on several occasions, I found myself completely stumped. The complexity and ingenuity of these puzzles are truly remarkable.

There were times when I would spend hours poring over a particular puzzle, my mind racing with countless possibilities, yet still unable to crack the code.

But despite the frustration, I couldn't help but be impressed by the author's ability to create such challenging and engaging mysteries. It's this very aspect that makes the book so captivating and keeps me coming back for more.

I look forward to the next time I pick up this book and attempt to solve its intriguing puzzles, hoping that with each try, I'll get a little closer to解开 the mysteries within.

Absolutely brilliant!

Using the messages and codes hidden within the illustrations, can you figure out which of the guests pilfered the feast? Some of the puzzles are straightforward, while others are rather challenging. In fact, some might even necessitate a bit of research on your part (although it's not strictly necessary to solve the mystery).

It's great fun to read, and it's a book that I'm truly looking forward to sharing with others. I really wish I had several copies at my disposal to hand out!

This engaging and mysterious story keeps you on the edge of your seat as you try to decipher the clues and solve the theft. The hidden messages and codes add an extra layer of excitement and intrigue. Whether you're a puzzle enthusiast or just looking for an entertaining read, this is definitely a book worth checking out.

So, grab a copy, put on your detective hat, and see if you can solve the mystery of who stole the feast!

Australian picture-book author/artist Graeme Base's The Eleventh Hour is an absolute masterpiece.

Published in 1988, it tells the story of Horace the elephant's eleventh birthday. He invites ten guests, and everything is carefully planned, from the feast to the games. But when it's time to eat, the banquet has been stolen!

The rhyming text is engaging, and the book is filled with puzzles and codes. The detailed color artwork is not only beautiful but also contains numerous clues, red herrings, and codes of various kinds.

I managed to solve the mystery by using some of the clues, like the 'hide-and-seek' page and the denials of the animal guests. But I later discovered that I had only used a tiny fraction of the available clues.

The book has a section at the rear that outlines all the codes and hints, and I missed many details, like Kilroy's mouse relatives.

This book is perfect for slightly older children who enjoy puzzles. It rewards multiple readings, as there are always more details to discover and mysteries to solve.

Overall, The Eleventh Hour is a must-read for any picture-book lover.

Stunning artwork!

It truly leaves me in awe. The details, the colors, and the overall composition are just remarkable. I find myself completely drawn to it, unable to look away.

I think I'll have to work on the mystery for a bit. There seems to be something hidden within this piece, something that is begging to be discovered. Maybe it's a secret message, or a hidden symbol that holds the key to a deeper meaning.

I'm determined to spend some time analyzing and dissecting this artwork, trying to解开 the mystery that lies within. It's like a puzzle that I can't resist solving. I'll study every brushstroke, every texture, and every element to see if I can uncover the hidden truth.

I'm excited to embark on this journey of exploration and discovery. Who knows what I'll find? Maybe it'll be something that changes my perspective on art forever.

This book is truly a classic. I'm afraid that any review I attempt to write here will not do it justice or add any value to the already outstanding feedback provided by the author's fans since the 1980s.

Little-AJ fell in love with this book at first sight and was immediately captivated by the stunning illustrations, despite the extreme complexity of each picture. Little-AJ adores animals and is obsessed with identifying different animals in picture books every day. What makes this book unique is that there can be as many as 11 animals on one page. This, in itself, poses a little puzzle for a 19-month-old.

Hidden within the marvelous pictures are a series of clues, puzzles, riddles, and codes waiting to be discovered, resolved, decoded, or deciphered. It's easy for one to be swayed by the magnificence of the drawings and completely fail to notice those secret messages concealed beneath the paintings of the glorious St Peter of Rome, a swanky palace room in Salzburg, or a mysterious old Egyptian temple.

Some serious sleuthing skills and remarkable observation abilities are required to truly engage in this game of "whodunnits". Hints could be hidden in some music notes, Morse code, mirror images, Latin, or a play with the alphabet order. It's unbelievably complicated yet enjoyable at the same time, and I can't be sure whether it was little-AJ or the mummy who enjoys this book more.

Full review here: https://storypleasemummy.wordpress.co...

Delightful!

This is a truly captivating puzzle poem that is enhanced by its gorgeous illustrations. The combination of the two creates a unique and enchanting experience for the reader. The poem itself is filled with mystery and intrigue, challenging the mind to solve its hidden meaning. The words are carefully chosen and arranged, creating a rhythm and flow that is both pleasing to the ear and engaging to the imagination.

The illustrations, on the other hand, bring the poem to life in a vivid and colorful way. Each image is carefully crafted to complement the words, adding depth and dimension to the overall piece. The use of color, texture, and detail in the illustrations adds to the beauty and allure of the puzzle poem, making it a feast for the eyes as well as the mind.

Together, the poem and illustrations create a work of art that is both delightful and thought-provoking. It is a piece that can be enjoyed again and again, revealing new layers of meaning and beauty with each reading. Whether you are a lover of poetry, art, or puzzles, this delightful puzzle poem with its gorgeous illustrations is sure to captivate and charm you.

The Eleventh Hour is an engaging and interactive (poetic) picture book specifically designed for children aged 5 - 8 years old (primary level). However, it has a universal appeal that ensures it will be cherished by a wide variety of readers.

In this captivating story, Horace the elephant decides to host a costume-themed birthday party and invites 10 of his animal friends. The hours leading up to the party are filled with Horace's preparations as he arranges a sumptuous feast for his guests. But when it's time to eat, a mystery unfolds - someone has secretly gobbled up all the food! But who could it be?

The book's colorful and larger-than-life illustrations are not only visually stunning but also offer a wealth of clues and riddles for the reader to decipher in order to solve the mystery. Besides the written text, the book contains various hidden messages in the form of Morse code, musical notes, and even within the artwork itself.

Overall, The Eleventh Hour provides a one-of-a-kind interactive experience that is bound to capture the attention of anyone who loves a good mystery. I firmly believe that this makes it a perfect read-at-home book for school children, as it has the power to ignite their young imaginations! It has always been one of my personal favorite books, and I have never been able to bring myself to open the sealed solution at the end!

This book is truly remarkable for kids who have a passion for mysteries, clues, and decoding.

What makes it even more appealing is that it also offers awesome illustrations that kids will surely love.

Moreover, the poem in this book features some really sweetly rhyming pages, which is an added bonus.

I was truly shocked. I had owned Animalia as a kid, but I never realized that Graeme Base could be such a great writer!

Here's a secret for parents: If your child is not a decoder, it would be a good idea to figure out the mystery ahead of time or look it up on the Internet.

Luckily, the "help" pages are now taped together in the back of the book, rather than having to send a mail order off for them. However, even with this convenience, if your kids aren't into mysteries, their interests will likely dwindle once there is no new artwork.

This book is recommended for ages 10 - 14. I understand that it might be a hard sell since it is a picture book, but I find it difficult to believe that younger kids could truly understand the book, even if they enjoy the pictures.

"The Eleventh Hour" by Graeme Base is a captivating story. It centers around an elephant named Horace who is throwing an extravagant birthday party. He invites all his friends, and each one arrives in a unique costume. Throughout the story, they engage in various games and enjoy a lavish feast. However, towards the end, the food mysteriously disappears! But Horace isn't disheartened as he reappears with sandwiches and an enormous surprise birthday cake.

The genre of this text is mystery, with a lexile number of 1070. The author, Graeme Base, has an impressive list of awards. He won the Children's Book Council of Australia Award for Picture Book of the Year - Joint Winner in 1989, the Canberra's Own Outstanding List (COOL) Awards for Section 2 Fiction for Younger Readers in 1994, and the Young Australians' Best Book Award (YABBA) for Section 1 - Picture Storybook in 1989.

"The Eleventh Hour" makes a great companion to "Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer" by John Grisham. Both books are mysteries that require the reader to look closely at the evidence and clues scattered throughout the text. The mysteries in both books unfold when the characters least expect it, making them both exciting and engaging reads.

My mom purchased this book for my sisters and me after the illustrations captivated her attention in a local bookstore.

She carried it home, and we had an absolute blast reading it together. We pored over the gorgeous illustrations, spending hours trying to make sense of the mystery.

When Horace the elephant reaches the age of 11, he throws himself an elaborate birthday party and invites all of his other animal friends to partake in the fun. There are exciting games, colorful costumes, and of course, an elaborate feast that Horace himself had精心 prepared. However, as the 11th hour approaches, the guests are disappointed to find out that the feast has already been devoured. Through a series of clues, the reader is left to figure out who stole the feast.

Author/illustrator Graeme Base goes all out in this book, which is filled with mysterious clues, jumbled sentences, riddles, and hidden characters ingeniously placed within the beautiful art. Without a doubt, it is one of my all-time favorite books for kids.

It offers not only entertainment but also challenges for young minds to think and solve problems. The combination of engaging story and stunning illustrations makes it a truly captivating read.

I highly recommend this book to all children and those who are young at heart.