The True Story of Vanilla - (Orca Biography) by Ann Richards (Hardcover)

About the Book

Part of the Orca Biography series for middle-grade readers, this illustrated nonfiction book tells the story of how Edmond Albius, an enslaved boy, discovered how to hand-pollinate vanilla, a technique that is still used all over the world today.

Book Synopsis

In 1841, a 12-year-old enslaved boy, Edmond Albius, made history when he discovered how to hand-pollinate vanilla plants using a bamboo twig.

Until that time, only bees in Mexico could pollinate the plant--botanists couldn't figure out another way. With his master, Edmond travelled around Réunion Island to share his technique, le geste d'Edmonde (Edmond's gesture), which is still in use today. Despite his important achievement, as an enslaved person Edmond didn't receive payment or recognition for his contribution to science, eventually dying in poverty after being freed from slavery in 1848. Today it is recognized that Edmond's method of pollination was key to bringing vanilla to the world, helped to create a billion-dollar industry and gave us the flavor we love to use in cooking, baking, medicine and, of course, ice cream.

From the Back Cover

A delicious discovery. In 1841, 12-year-old Edmond Albius made history when he hand-pollinated a vanilla plant using a bamboo twig. Until then people thought only bees in Mexico could pollinate the plant, making vanilla expensive and rare. His discovery brought vanilla to the world. As an enslaved person, Edmond didn't get credit or payment for his achievement. He became a free man in 1848, but died in poverty years later. Today Edmond is recognized for starting the billion-dollar vanilla industry and giving us the flavor we love to use in baking, medicine and, of course, ice cream.

About the Author

Ann Richards is a Jamaican Canadian writer from Brampton, Ontario, who has always wanted to write books about African history. She enjoys studying and writing about different cultures. One day she plans to visit Ghana's Elmina slave castle, known as the Door of No Return, to research more stories. Ann has written for the London Free Press and Tekawennake News. The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History is Ann's debut book.

Arden Taylor is a Toronto-based freelance illustrator. A graduate of Sheridan College with an honors bachelor of illustration, she enjoys digitally creating colorful illustrations of architecture and people and designs for wallpaper and other projects. Her clients include Hazlitt Magazine and the California Institute of Technology, and her work has been featured in various magazines, newspapers, advertising campaigns and websites.