Adam Rubin (Dragons Love Tacos; Gladys the Magic Chicken) proves that "writing is magic" in his middle-grade debut, a hilarious collection of six stories, illustrated by different artists, that share the same title: "The Ice Cream Machine."
The six stories include Shiro Hanayama and his robot best friend, Kelly, who travel the world in search of the best ice cream; two sisters deciding to challenge the repeat winner of their town's annual ice cream eating contest; a sorcerer's assistant unexpectedly filling in for the sorcerer. The titular machine defies definition and is personified in each iteration as something slightly different. In "(the one with the ice cream eating contest)," it's a nickname. In "(the one with the sorcerer's assistant)," it's an enchanted object whose creations bring joy to a kingdom.
Set in space, on a farm, in the future and in the past, every story in this collection is distinct and original, imaginative and inventive. Each is its own world, written in a different genre with characters who feel as real and vivid as those in the last. The writing style for every tale is similar enough to allow the book to feel cohesive, with humor reminiscent of Louis Sachar and an outlandishness that brings Roald Dahl to mind. The illustrations--by Daniel Salmieri, Emily Hughes, Charles Santoso, Nicole Miles, Liniers and Seaerra Miller--help create a feeling of continuity through their grayscale palettes and make each story an individual art piece. The Ice Cream Machine brings as much inspiration as it does laughter. --Kyla Paterno, freelance reviewer