John Whopper The Newsboy

"John Whopper" by Thomas M. Clark is a captivating tale from the 1870s about a young newsboy, John Whopper, whose curiosity launches him on an unbelievable adventure. Falling through a hidden passage in the Earth, John journeys to far-off places like China where, showing his cleverness, he sells Boston newspapers for a huge profit, and later develops a plan to deliver papers by an "air-line." His journey takes a turn when he finds himself in the Arctic, surviving on an iceberg by using supplies from an abandoned ship demonstrating his ability to survive adverse conditions. The story highlights John's resilience and the allure of adventure, concluding with his rescue and return home to Roxbury.