“The Ice Cream Hotel” –– More Fun Than a Month of Sundaes!

The Ice Cream Hotel reminds us of the childhood battle cry, “We all scream for ice cream!” And your customers will think it’s a scream when they get a look at this book that’s long on imagination with a yummy story line that will appeal to the younger crowd. What little reader wouldn’t be entranced by sweet adventures in a fudge pool or shake shack?

The Ice Cream Hotel is a treat designed to be read aloud to the two-to-five year old set, and is also suitable for slightly older children, especially those who are early readers. The thirty-two pages within a hard cover offer witty, colorful illustrations on every page and the plot is packed with fun and flavor. Kids love the idea of paddling in the hot fudge pool, meeting new friends at the shake shack, and dropping in on the best ice cream party ever.

According to author Jack Johnston, one of his favorite parenting pastimes is reading to his own two children. During their nightly reads, Johnston noted that his kids adored books with a “search and find” element. Inspired, he put a tennis ball into the mouth of the book’s doggie hero and hid lots of other tennis balls throughout the story. To engage kids on every delicious page, the story is written in rhyme, with an almost hummable, follow-along beat, a perfect way to end a day. Readers are encouraged to go back and count the balls and if that’s not enough, they can then go to the website to unlock a secret area of the site where they can enjoy doing puzzles and downloading mazes, coloring pages, word searches and lots more.

Inspired by a drawing that his eight-year old niece did in art class, included on the dedication page, Johnston teamed up with illustrator Annette Cable, an accomplished freelance artist. Cable has contributed to thirteen books, as well as teaching art to kids in Louisville, KY where she lives with her husband, also an artist; her daughter; a dog who loves tennis balls (what a surprise!); four cats; and a guinea pig. Her clever illustrations make this delightfully entertaining story even more so, encouraging kids (and the grown-ups who read to or along with them) to indulge their ice cream fantasies to the fullest extent. Cable specializes in work for younger children, cramming each drawing with details large and small so there is plenty to take in on the first go-round, and lots more to discover on return visits.

Who could resist an edible hotel made entirely out of ice cream where pets are welcome? Old and young enjoy scanning the pictures to find every last detail, always coming back for another taste. The concept is slightly off-the-wall and the humor genuine, a winning combo that’s packed with entertainment value.

When Johnston isn’t writing, he likes to paddle canoes and spend a lot of time with his family. His tender touch with youngsters is obvious on every page, along with a big helping of humor and a clever, ingenious story line. Young and old, ice cream fans or not, The Ice Cream Hotel is a winner with favorite flavors liberally scattered throughout.

Investigate a reading treat: www.theicecreamhotel.com