Ice Cream

by Elisha Cooper

A picture book by the author of Dance! shows the process by which ice cream is made, from the milking machines, mixing tanks, and giant freezers, to satisfied stomachs of all ages.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Food, Science, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 26, 2002

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this nonfiction book on ice cream in my storytime today in honor of National Ice Cream Month. It was a super fun read with lots of random facts about cows and ice cream packed it. I was afraid it would be too long, but the kids paid attention very well.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book goes through the process of making ice in excruciating detail. It starts with cows eating grass, and ends somewhere around a professional taster sampling recipes. Words move across the page in shapes to describe movements of trucks pulling into the dairy farm and machines in the ice cream factory, but this often makes the words hard to read. A library patron wrote in this book to ensure that readers knew that the brown blobs were *chocolate chips* and not, perhaps, cow pies. While I think some older children might appreciate listing off all the steps of grass to cow to milking machine, to truck, to road, to factory, etc., I think we could have done without the mention of the sign in the factory that says "No spitting!" (gosh! I HOPE NOT!), the ice cream factory ordering special cartons, and the taste tester eating with a gold spoon and bulging out her cheeks with ice cream. I could have done more with a "milk + sugar + vanilla + cold + stirring = ice cream" than more details about the cow farmer squeezing cow teats.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of how ice-cream is made - starting with the cows that are milked - to the co-op where the milk is taken - to the big factory where the milk is changed into ice-cream. It is all very interesting and nicely illustrated.

[Jessalyn Plant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a bit tedious to read to a toddler, I appreciated the complete picture of the journey of ice cream from the cow to the table. It educates the reader in a cute and detailed, albeit lengthy manner on this subject. I am interested to read more of this author's work with my children.

[Zachary Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was really cool because the words would go in a swirl or in different directions to help tell the story. I really liked how to see the words and it was a kind of jumpy little book to read. Overall it was really good and made it more interesting to read all the facts and the details.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive, scientific, yet enjoyable treatise on the life cycle of ice cream. If only it came with a free sample!!!

[Lara Lleverino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Go to Biblioguides to read my full review at https://www.biblioguides.com/pub/book...

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very realistic and accurate story about how commercial ice cream is made

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story... if a too long read for Story Time.

[Aimee]

Ice cream is a favorite food of a lot of children so why not show them how it is made. This book starts at the very beginning of the process, and continues with the end of the process.

The author uses humor in this book starting with the first page of the book. The students will laugh when it starts with one cow, well actually lots of cows. Many children may not know the process of how ice cream gets to the grocery store. This will be a great discussion on how milk is separated out for different foods. The students will be amazed at how much milk one cow can give in a milking. Talking about scientists thinking up new ice cream flavors would give students ideas of their own flavors they could make. Being a taster may make the students want to become one someday.

[Taya · Rating 1 out of 5]

The sloppy form that these illustrations used was not effective in my opinion. The use of watercolors and vague pencil outline forms makes the pictures, though recognizable, lacking in interest and definition. Every shape is done with a carefree sense in which the true object is understood, but is simplified to a high degree. Because of the educational nature of the text, I do not think thta the art cooperates well with the overall tone. The lines take on a very soft and liquid appearance, mostly due to a lack of definition of the pictures. This causes the illustrations, though very original in idea, to be somewhat uninteresting.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

The problem is that this book assumes that ice cream only exists as the mass-produced store-bought commercial product. OK, I understand the industrial scale milk production section, but emulsifiers? Yuck. And thank God the factory has a sign that says "No Spitting." Wouldn't it be nicer if kids learned that ice cream is something that they can make at home, using ingredients like cream, milk, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, sugar, and salt? They could even do that recipe where you roll a can back and forth.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detailed process of how ice cream is made starting and ending with the all important cows.

I liked the way not a single small step was skipped over and I was surprised to learn about the taste-tester and her valuable tongue!

The text moves around the pages a bit making this a difficult book for sharing aloud with an audience, but the writing is perfect for kids: not too full of jargon and makes use of what they already know.

Watercolor and pencil artwork. PreK-2+.

[Edward Creter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ice cream is the world's most beloved dessert, and this book shows how it's done, tho' I for one do NOT like seeing cows tortured and hurt thru farm technology to give us ice cream. It's not fair!!!!!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt sorry for the cows, but I appreciated how detailed this book is. It was like watching How It's Made on the Science Channel. Also, children need to know where their food comes from, even if it makes them and/or us uncomfortable.

[Lisa C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely detailed look at every step of ice cream production from the cow to the store. Extremely. Didn't want to know that a teat is so warm that the milk comes out steaming? Too bad.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

How it's made.

[Casandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting book about how ice cream is made