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.
Key Selling Points
• This STEAM title tells the true story of how Edmond Albius, an enslaved 12-year-old boy from Réunion Island, discovered how to hand-pollinate vanilla plants in 1841, leading to the birth of the global vanilla industry.
• Le geste d'Edmond, or Edmond's technique, is still the only way vanilla is pollinated and produced today. It is one of the most widely used spices around the world and can be used in baking, cooking and medicine, among many other products.
• This book deals with topics including racism, enslavement, prejudice, the scientific method, discovery and innovation.
• The book uses extensive primary research, including census information and newspaper articles from the time, to tell Edmond's story.
• The author is a Jamaican Canadian living in Brampton, Ontario. This is her first 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.
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. What's in a name? Orca Biography introduces you to people you should know. Meet trailblazers, game changers and activists. They fight for equality, fairness and justice for everyone. Let them inspire you! A Delicious Discovery
