Jackrabbit McCabe and the Electric Telegraph

K-Gr 2—Jackrabbit McCabe's legs are so fast and so long that by the time he's 18 he's outraced everything in his path, including every "stagecoach, antelope, and locomotive in the territory." In his town of Windy Flats, Jackrabbit is the go-to man when one is in need of speed. When a newfangled invention called the telegraph arrives in town, it only makes sense for Jackrabbit to see if he can beat its first message to Sandy Bluff. At this point, the folksy story shifts from tall tale to one of progress and change as Jackrabbit inevitably loses the race. Unsure of his place anymore, Jackrabbit's down in the dumps, but his spirits are lifted at book's end when he settles in as the town's first telegraph operator. This sweet tale never fully reaches its potential. Neither Jackrabbit's prowess, the theme of progress, nor the history of the telegraph are developed to the point of capturing most young readers' attention. Ultimately, the sophistication of Espinosa's spot-on illustrations prove the brightest point. The author's note at book's end (many details of which one wishes had been integrated into the story) may prove the biggest hit with those interested in learning about the telegraph's history or in playing around with the Morse code key provided.