Sometimes, the simple joys of life are more than enough for the moment. Charlotte Cheng’s Icy Fruit: How My Grandfather Spread the Joy of Ice Pops across Taiwan celebrates the tasty deliciousness and cooling of frozen fruit snacks, which her grandfather invented and brought to Taiwan island.
The action begins with a change in marketplace needs. Agong’s pork business had hit an impasse. Standing in an empty freezer, he ponders what business he can enter to meet a need in the population, in order to make a living.
Perhaps he may offer an edible respite against the subtropical – tropical island’s heat and humidity? Something to ease the heat of its long summers? Something delectable from dragon’s eye fruit, pineapple, guava, and starfruit, grown natively on the island? Some added sugar…packaging in plastic containers…and voila! Icy fruit pops! With a branding plan and a marketing campaign (including a memorable jingle), the family business is off and running, enabling generations of thriving.
Icy Fruit is lushly and dynamically illustrated by Vivian Mineker, a Taiwanese American illustrator. The visuals show a vibrant and peaceful Taiwan island, with caring and joyful people in community.
This children’s picture book celebrates innovation. It shows the marketplace as a natural, accessible, and important part of people’s lives. It encourages the harnessing of the imagination to offer value to society and to create jobs along the way.
Shalin Hai-Jew has worked in higher education for many years. She has edited dozens of nonfiction educational books and authored a dozen with a number of publishers.
