The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base (author/illustrator). New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1993. ISBN: 978-0810932654

 

In this engaging and gorgeously illustrated mystery, Horace the elephant decides to invite some friends over, and all goes as planned until they discover that someone had stolen all the food.

 

Media: pen and ink, pencil, watercolors, airbrush

 

Rating: 5Q/4P

 

Literary device utilized: rhyme

 

Example: “They raced across the Croquet Lawn, then up toward the house, But as they reached the half-way point the Pig tripped on the Mouse”

 

submitted July 2009 by Josh Mitchell  

 

 

 

Eleventh hour, The, by Graeme Base. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1993.

 

ISBN: 978-0810932654

Annotation: Fans of riddles and codes will love this unique mystery, but it’s also solvable simply by studying the illustrations and playing a bit of visual hide and seek.

Illustrations: watercolor, inks, gouache, watercolor pencils

Use of Rhyme: Each illustration is accompanied by a clever rhyming verse that begs to be read aloud. Base handles rhyme masterfully, always keeping the rhythm bouncy and even while avoiding being too repetitive or stretching for awkward rhymes: "The Mouse came as a Musketeer, his hat and head held high/ A swagger in his footsteps and a twinkle in his eye."

4Q/4P

 

DM 6/27/09

 

 

 

Base, G. 1988. The eleventh hour: A curious mystery. New York: Harry N. Abrams.

 

 

 

Annotation – Horace (an elephant) is having his 11^th birthday party at 11 o’clock. The reader is invited to find clues on each page and decipher the code that tells who ate the feast while the eleven party games were going on.

 

 

 

Media – Base explains: …”illustration board with watercolours and transparent inks, using brushes, pencils, technical drawing pens, and a scalpel (for scratching). I also use a very special tool called an airbrush which actually sprays colours onto the board (very handy for painting skies and mist and breath from horses' mouths!).” (http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Author/)

 

 

 

Rating: 5 quality of text and illustrations – 5 for popularity

 

 

 

Comments: Written in rhyming text and giving hints and clues on each page (if the reader is observant) to figure out who ate the feast, this book is a land mind for readers wanting a challenge through the illustrations. Some of the clues are quite well hidden and many younger readers may determine to use the sealed portion to find out all the details, but going through the hints and trying to find clues is part of the book’s appeal. Hopefully, this book will be enjoyed with two people reading which could help in the deciphering of the final clue.

Nancy

 

Base, G.  (1988).  The eleventh hour.  New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.  0590447890.  5Q/5P.  Original paintings. 

 

 

Somebody has stolen all the food from Horace’s party!  But who could it be?  Follow the clues and solve the mystery!

 

jw 05/06/08