Jackrabbit McCabe & the Electric Telegraph

By Lucy Margaret Rozier and Leo Espinosa

Schwartz & Wade Books, 2015, Picture Book

Jackrabbit McCabe was born to run, and fast. As a boy his legs grew so quickly that his pants would become shorts by the end of the day. By the time he was eighteen years old Jackrabbit had out-raced everything in the town of Windy Flats, including locomotives, horses, and even a stagecoach. Everyone in town knew they could count on Jackrabbit when they needed something delivered, so many were doubtful when a "newfangled contraption", the electric telegraph, was installed claiming to deliver messages faster than mail, and Jackrabbit. After overhearing the town mayor and judge express their doubts, the telegraph man proposed a race between Jackrabbit and the wires. The first to get a message to the nearby town of Sandy Bluff would win. The town all gathered to cheer on Jackrabbit, but despite running so fast that he "roared like a tornado", he looses the race. Jackrabbit feels down in the dumps and unsure of what his role in the town will be now, until he's offered the position of the telegraph operator. Jackrabbit quickly becomes just as fast on the telegraph keys as he is on his feet.

Jackrabbit McCabe & the Electric Telegraph is a fun read that mixes adventure and history in an appealing and captivating story. The illustrations by Espinosa do a great job capturing the essence of a 1900's western town and bring it to life with wonderfully unique characters. Readers even have the opportunity at the end to decode a message in Morse code, along with an authors note with interesting facts about the history of the electric telegraph and Morse code, sure to be a bit hit as a fun way for young readers to learn from the story.

Comments

Display: Dino-mite Reads

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs By Mo Willems New York: Balzar + Bray, 2012. Picture Book. "Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur . . . and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway. One day--for no particular reason--they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then--for no particular reason--they decided to go . . . someplace else. They were definitely not setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl. Definitely not!" --Editor Smart Vs. Strong! Written by Jill Esbaum Illustrated by Miles Thompson New York: Simon Spotlight, 2021. Easy Reader. 64 pages. "When Thunder gets stuck in quicksand, Cluck uses his smarts to free his friend." --Editor How Dinosaurs Went Extinct Written by Ame Dyckman Illustrated by Jennifer Harney New York: Brown and Company, 2023. Picture Book. "When a child in a museum asks how dinosaurs became extinct, Dad co

Review: The Hidden Dragon

The Hidden Dragon By Melissa Marr New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. Fiction. 161 pages. Three children, Otter, London, and Sophia, live in a fantasy world with dragons. Otter (short for Ottilie) is the daughter of a ship captain, and she loves the sea and its dragons. London is a stowaway boy, searching for a new life full of adventure. Sophia lives in a thief house with other children, all dedicated to helping each other and trying to make the kingdom better. As trouble begins to brew both on land and at sea, these three heroes realize that maybe it's up to the kids to make things right. Readers experience the book from multiple perspectives, and with a bit of mystery and adventure, this is an amazing fantasy read. With the inspiring message that children truly can make a difference, readers will enjoy how each character fights for what's right, even when it's inconvenient. The ending is resolved a little quickly, but this is a great read for all "hatchlings."

Review: How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest?

How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest? Written by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe Illustrated by Aaron Cushley Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2023. Informational. In this fascinating nonfiction adventure, unique forms of transportation like hot air balloons and zeppelins take readers to 12 of the most extreme locations on Earth and beyond. As the adventurer arrives in each new locale, from Lake Maracaibo--the world's most electric place--to Zavodovski Island--the world's stinkiest place--they are fully immersed into the scene around them. The text describes the distinctive sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and sensations characteristic to each place, supported by the delightful illustrations. Each stop also shares stories of real adventurers braving the elements. Readers big and small will learn something new in this exciting armchair adventure. The real adventurer anecdotes highlight both well-known and less-discussed figures, of diverse backgrounds and abilities. The illustrations provide ev

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog