Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better

Augustus Jackson grew up in Philadelphia in the early 1800s, a free Black boy who learned to cook and went to work at twelve to help his family. His talent took him to the White House, where by seventeen he was a cook known for the ice cream he made for guests. Jackson later returned home and opened his own ice cream parlor, hoping to make the treat something everyone could enjoy. He found that adding rock salt to the ice cut the freezing time in half, which let him make more ice cream and sell it far beyond his shop. Glenda Armand and Kim Freeman tell his story with warmth, and Keith Mallett's paintings bring the period to life. Back matter includes an ice cream recipe. The book won the Texas Bluebonnet Award.