{"product_id":"the-true-story-of-vanilla-how-edmond-albius-made-history-9781459838444","title":"The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e★ \"Moving and bittersweet...Discusses the reality of slavery and the racial violence and prejudice formerly enslaved individuals experienced.\" -- \u003cem\u003eBooklist, starred review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn 1841, a 12-year-old enslaved boy, Edmond Albius, made history when he discovered how to hand-pollinate vanilla plants using a bamboo twig.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUntil that time, only bees in Mexico could pollinate the plant--botanists couldn't figure out another way. With his master, Edmond travelled around R?union 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.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe epub edition of this title is fully accessible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnn Richards\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eLondon Free Press\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eTekawennake News\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eThe True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History\u003c\/em\u003e is Ann's debut book.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArden Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eHazlitt Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e and the California Institute of Technology, and her work has been featured in various magazines, newspapers, advertising campaigns and websites.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Orca Book Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51260330017042,"sku":"9781459838444","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_b971bbca-5521-4d0b-ad9a-1ed2c99875f8.jpg?v=1746642702","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-true-story-of-vanilla-how-edmond-albius-made-history-9781459838444","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}