First U.S. edition of The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery by Graeme Base. Find out who ate Horace's eleventh birthday feast at the eleventh hour. Was it one of the eleven guests? A whodunit for kids!
Written and illustrated by Graeme Base. First US edition, 1989. (First published in Australia, 1988.) Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York, A Times Mirror Company.
This is a fantastically fun book! An Agatha Christie-inspired whodunit for kids. From the front flap:
"When Horace the elephant turns eleven, he celebrates in style by inviting his friends to a splendid party. Fine music, games, and the promise of a magnificient feast prepared by Horace himself (everyone knows elephants are the world's best cooks) make this costume gala a most special event. But little does Horace know that when the partygoers gather for the banquet, a curious mystery will be revealed. None of the eleven animals is above suspicion when the clock strikes the eleventh hour!"
The mystery is that somebody ate Horace's feast! Who did it?! Kids will find hidden messages and clues to the mystery in rhymes and wonderfully detailed illustrations inspired by animals that Base and his wife saw in their travels. The solution - the Top Secret Inside Story - in the back of the book is still sealed, as shown in the photos.
Condition*: Fine/Near Fine. The dust jacket shows minor shelf wear.
*Based on guidelines of the Independent Online Booksellers' Association.
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