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!