Jackhammer Sam

Atta-RATTA-batta-blam!

Jackhammer Sam isn't just any old construction worker―he's the sidewalk blasting man. He stops traffic, splits the sidewalk, and digs right down to the subway, all the while singing his song: Atta-RATTA-binga-bong. Atta-RATTA-pinga-pong.

Lively illustrations by David Catrow portray a larger-than-life construction worker (and the bystanders who become caught up in his destruction) in hilarious detail as he choppa-chops his way through the city streets, outer space, and beyond in this fun and frenetic tribute to road workers of all kinds.

Peter Mandel grew up in Manhattan, where he watched neighborhood skyscrapers going up and checked out every jackhammer on the block. An adventure travel journalist for The Washington Post and Boston Globe, he lives in Providence, R.I., and is the author of eleven books for children.

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, David Catrow got pretty good at sneaking into construction sites and as a result, his initials and handprints appear on several blocks of Detroit sidewalk. Since then, he has illustrated more than seventy books for children, including his own Max Spaniel series. He lives in Springfield, Ohio.