Ice Cream

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About Ice Cream

Product Description 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. From Publishers Weekly Cooper's (Ballpark; Dance!) deliciously diverting book tackles a subject of intrinsic appeal to kids. The author gives the scoop on ice-cream making and anticipates all of their questions, answering them with, well, good humor and with many specifics that may surprise even the most ardent aficionados. Those who scream for ice cream may be astounded by the array of machines involved, from the milking machine in the barn, to the apparatus in the milk co-op that condenses the milk, to the ice-cream factory's numerous contraptions, including one that shapes flat pieces of cardboard into rounded containers of various sizes. Cooper's description of an enormous ice-cream mixing machine with multiple tanks exhibits a flair for language that appeals to multiple senses: "It is a steel, piston-pumping, cream-dripping, gadget-whirring, water-spraying, pipe-rattling, chocolate-leaking animal." Similarly, readers can hear the sounds in the barn at milking time: "The fump, fump of the suction cups; the chug, chug, chug of milk spurting through plastic tubes." Cooper's small-scale art precisely follows each step of the process as type sashays across the spreads in inventive configurations, and panoramic views show the delivery truck transporting this divine bovine product through town and country. Ages 4-up. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 3-A step-by-step description of how ice cream is made, beginning with cows eating grass in a field and ending with the ice-cream carton in the hand of a delivery-truck driver who has walked out to a field to watch the cows graze. Cooper includes the sound effects of the suction cups of the milking machine ("Fump, fump") and the sound of milk spurting through plastic tubes ("Chug, chug, CHUG") while detailing the process of making the tasty dessert. His sense of humor finds its way into the pages of text-"Workers wearing aprons, hard hats, hair nets, and beard nets take care of the machine." Watercolor-and-pencil sketches fill the spreads and white space is used to maximum advantage. The text often weaves up and down and round the pages. On one page, it is laid out in a circle, illustrating the mixing of ice-cream ingredients. This book is an excellent vocabulary enhancer (glossary included) and after finishing it, readers will be tempted to dish out a few scoops. Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Ages 6-8. This factual yet slyly humorous look at how a popular treat is made begins at the dairy farm, tours the factory, and ends at the supermarkets and ice cream parlors where people go to find their favorite flavor. Necessities of modern industry, such as milking machines and computer-programmed mixing machines, are included; so are scene-setting details such as cows' messy eating habits and barn cats lapping spilled milk. The simple, splashy pencil-and-watercolor illustrations in muted shades of brown, blue, green, and gray are visually appealing, but don't provide much detail for curious readers. Creative type placement in spirals, loops, and curves adds interest, particularly when the text must be turned to be read, as if it were printed on the back of a pint-size ice cream container. Covering all bases, from what goes into the cows and how recipes are created to packaging and selling, this clear account informs as it creates a real craving for fresh ice cream. Kids' next question will surely be, "How do I get a job as a taster?" Slightly older readers will enjoy Jules Olders' Ice Cream [BKL F 15 02]. Diane Foote Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved About the Author Elisha Coope