Jackrabbit McCabe and the Electric Telegraph

Jackrabbit McCabe and the Electric Telegraph Synopsis

The fastest man in the West meets his match in this deliciously clever original tall tale. With his extra-long legs, Jackrabbit McCabe can outrun anything on the American frontier: horses, trains, and even twisters. So of course, everyone in the town of Windy Flats always counts on his speed when a message has to get out fast.

Then something new comes to town: the telegraph, which can send Morse code messages with the speed of electricity. At first, no one believes the newfangled contraption can deliver a message quicker than Jackrabbit. . . . But in a race between man and machine, who will be left in the dust?

An author's note includes information about the invention of the telegraph, a Morse code key, and a riddle written in Morse code for kids to transcribe.

"A strikingly accomplished debut.... A terrific tall tale about the costs and opportunities of technology." -Publishers Weekly, Starred

"Good, quick-moving fun. Kids may marvel that communication existed before the telephone and Internet." -Kirkus Reviews