Literature & Fiction
![Adam Rubin - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B001JSHJCE.jpg)
The Ice Cream Machine
From the wild and wonderful imagination of the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dragons Love Tacos comes this hilarious, irresistible middle grade debut, a collection of six totally different stories with the same exact name.
In these six stories, set in six distinct worlds, you'll meet a boy and his robot nanny traveling the globe in search of the world's tastiest treat, a child mechanical prodigy who invents the freshest dessert ever, and an evil ice cream truck driver who strikes fear in the heart of every kid in town.
You'll be transported to a beachside boardwalk with an ice cream stand run by a penguin, a hilltop realm ruled by a king with a sweet tooth, and a giant alien space lab with a lone human subject who longs for a taste of home.
Each story features black-and-white interior illustrations from a different artist, including Daniel Salmieri, Charles Santoso, Liniers, Emily Hughes, Nicole Miles, and Seaerra Miller, making this book unlike any you've ever seen. So grab a cup or a cone, and watch out for brain freeze! You'll definitely want to save room for this treat.
In these six stories, set in six distinct worlds, you'll meet a boy and his robot nanny traveling the globe in search of the world's tastiest treat, a child mechanical prodigy who invents the freshest dessert ever, and an evil ice cream truck driver who strikes fear in the heart of every kid in town.
You'll be transported to a beachside boardwalk with an ice cream stand run by a penguin, a hilltop realm ruled by a king with a sweet tooth, and a giant alien space lab with a lone human subject who longs for a taste of home.
Each story features black-and-white interior illustrations from a different artist, including Daniel Salmieri, Charles Santoso, Liniers, Emily Hughes, Nicole Miles, and Seaerra Miller, making this book unlike any you've ever seen. So grab a cup or a cone, and watch out for brain freeze! You'll definitely want to save room for this treat.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for The Ice Cream Machine:
A #1 Indie Bestseller
"Three scoops of humor with adventure on top. Kids won't be able to resist The Ice Cream Machine!" -Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid
"If you do not find this book fascinating, I am sorry to say there is something wrong with you." -Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events
"Absolutely fun, smart, and kid-inspirational. Here's the proof that writing is magic!" -Jon Scieszka, author of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
"Hilarious and imaginative, a total hoot!" -Melissa de la Cruz, author of the Descendants series
"Clever, inventive, and totally fun. The Ice Cream Machine is a blast!" -Max Brallier, author of The Last Kids on Earth
"Rubin's penchant for fun shines through in this collection . . . Writing and ice cream make surprisingly magical companions." -The New York Times
* "Creative and fun . . . Ice cream lovers and tweens in general will get a kick out of this adventurous, whimsical, and funny book." -School Library Journal, starred review
"Every story in this collection is distinct and original, imaginative and inventive… with humor reminiscent of Louis Sachar and an outlandishness that brings Roald Dahl to mind." -Shelf Awareness
"[A] madcap middle grade debut . . . Comforting, entertaining, and uniformly funny." -Publishers Weekly
"Offers convincing proof that words are magical . . . Scoops of entertainment and insight for young readers as well as writers." -Booklist
"Entertaining . . . The variety of artistic styles forms a pleasing complement to the different entries." -Kirkus Reviews
A #1 Indie Bestseller
"Three scoops of humor with adventure on top. Kids won't be able to resist The Ice Cream Machine!" -Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid
"If you do not find this book fascinating, I am sorry to say there is something wrong with you." -Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events
"Absolutely fun, smart, and kid-inspirational. Here's the proof that writing is magic!" -Jon Scieszka, author of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
"Hilarious and imaginative, a total hoot!" -Melissa de la Cruz, author of the Descendants series
"Clever, inventive, and totally fun. The Ice Cream Machine is a blast!" -Max Brallier, author of The Last Kids on Earth
"Rubin's penchant for fun shines through in this collection . . . Writing and ice cream make surprisingly magical companions." -The New York Times
* "Creative and fun . . . Ice cream lovers and tweens in general will get a kick out of this adventurous, whimsical, and funny book." -School Library Journal, starred review
"Every story in this collection is distinct and original, imaginative and inventive… with humor reminiscent of Louis Sachar and an outlandishness that brings Roald Dahl to mind." -Shelf Awareness
"[A] madcap middle grade debut . . . Comforting, entertaining, and uniformly funny." -Publishers Weekly
"Offers convincing proof that words are magical . . . Scoops of entertainment and insight for young readers as well as writers." -Booklist
"Entertaining . . . The variety of artistic styles forms a pleasing complement to the different entries." -Kirkus Reviews
Short Excerpt Teaser
I
The Ice Cream Machine
(the one with the five--armed robot)
A glimmering blue streak rocketed through the air above Megalopolis, weaving between skyscrapers, ducking below streams of flying hoverpods, and blasting through holographic advertisements just for fun. Excitement spread throughout the city as ordinary citizens identified the flying object overhead.
"Hey, look! It's Shiro and Kelly," said a man selling digital tacos on a street corner. He waved up at the sky to greet the famous duo.
"Shiro and Kelly." An old woman on a park bench chuckled as she adjusted her cybergoggles. "Off on another exciting adventure, I bet."
"I wish I had a superbot," said a kid staring out the window while feeding his dead goldfish.
Before long, Shiro Hanayama and his robot best friend/tutor/bodyguard, Kelly, reached their destination: the Hanayama Robotics Corporation, a two-hundred-story building covered in lush bioluminescent greenery, which towered over the sprawling cityscape that had once been known as Los Angeles.
A landing pad extended from the building, and Kelly touched down gently in the center. Shiro climbed out from inside the robot, yawned, and brushed the jet-black hair from his forehead. He was pale and chubby but had his father's handsome features and his mother's fierce, intelligent eyes. He wore a flight suit with a helmet, bright-pink sneakers, and a backpack.
Shiro stretched his arms over his head. "It's getting tight in there."
"If you don't like it," replied Kelly, "stop growing."
Kelly adjusted her configuration. In flight mode, she resembled a squid: five thin arms positioned at the bottom of her squat, egg-shaped body, ionic thrusters blasting from the tip of each three-pronged claw.
In casual mode, four of her limbs reconfigured into more traditional arm and leg positions, while the fifth moved around according to her mood: Sometimes it sat coiled atop her head like hair, sometimes it swished behind her back like a tail, and sometimes it moved to the front of her body to assist with tasks that required three hands.
Kelly's limbs were dark and dull in color, but her body was iridescent, like the glimmering wings of a blue butterfly. She was built from indestructible bioengineered materials, covered in armored scales (like a pineapple), immune to microwave attacks, and completely bulletproof (unlike a pineapple).
A series of quantum processors gave her the capacity for independent thought. She was bubbly, funny, and kind, with an IQ of 250.
Kelly was famously considered to be the most advanced robot on Earth. Her groundbreaking technology was highly coveted by government spies and rival corporations, but despite their best efforts, the superbot's mysterious power source remained top secret.
Shiro's mom, Professor Hanayama, had designed Kelly to help care for and protect her son.
The professor was tall and thin, with big, penetrating eyes, a small mouth, and an asymmetrical haircut that had been dyed snow white. She always dressed in gray from head to toe, with a single fresh-cut flower tucked into her lapel for a touch of color.
Professor Hanayama ran one of the largest corporations in the solar system, leading the innovation of bio-quantum technology and working tirelessly to protect what little remained of Earth's natural resources. It was a very demanding job, which meant she didn't get to spend much time with Shiro. They had planned to have breakfast together before she left for work that morning, but Shiro had overslept. Again.
When Professor Hanayama noticed her son and his robot outside her office on the landing pad, she paused her presentation and glowered at them through the window. Shiro pleaded with his hands, miming an apology. His mother turned back to the national ambassadors gathered around the table in the conference room, excused herself, and stepped outside.
"Good morning, Professor," Kelly said, bowing.
"Good morning, Kelly," said Professor Hanayama as she gave Shiro an angry hug.
"Good morning, Mom," Shiro mumbled with his face smooshed against her chest.
"It would have been a better morning if you had shown up for breakfast like we'd planned."
"Ow, Mom, you're squeezing too tight!" Professor Hanayama let go, and Shiro breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm really sorry. I was up late, and I couldn't find my new sneakers this morning, and-"
"Save it, Shiro," said Professor Hanayama. "I'm giving you one last chance. But if you dare break your poor mother's heart again tomorrow, I swear I will send you to the Mars colony to live with your father."
"But the only reason I-"
"I don't have time for any more excuses." Professor Hanayama adjusted th...
The Ice Cream Machine
(the one with the five--armed robot)
A glimmering blue streak rocketed through the air above Megalopolis, weaving between skyscrapers, ducking below streams of flying hoverpods, and blasting through holographic advertisements just for fun. Excitement spread throughout the city as ordinary citizens identified the flying object overhead.
"Hey, look! It's Shiro and Kelly," said a man selling digital tacos on a street corner. He waved up at the sky to greet the famous duo.
"Shiro and Kelly." An old woman on a park bench chuckled as she adjusted her cybergoggles. "Off on another exciting adventure, I bet."
"I wish I had a superbot," said a kid staring out the window while feeding his dead goldfish.
Before long, Shiro Hanayama and his robot best friend/tutor/bodyguard, Kelly, reached their destination: the Hanayama Robotics Corporation, a two-hundred-story building covered in lush bioluminescent greenery, which towered over the sprawling cityscape that had once been known as Los Angeles.
A landing pad extended from the building, and Kelly touched down gently in the center. Shiro climbed out from inside the robot, yawned, and brushed the jet-black hair from his forehead. He was pale and chubby but had his father's handsome features and his mother's fierce, intelligent eyes. He wore a flight suit with a helmet, bright-pink sneakers, and a backpack.
Shiro stretched his arms over his head. "It's getting tight in there."
"If you don't like it," replied Kelly, "stop growing."
Kelly adjusted her configuration. In flight mode, she resembled a squid: five thin arms positioned at the bottom of her squat, egg-shaped body, ionic thrusters blasting from the tip of each three-pronged claw.
In casual mode, four of her limbs reconfigured into more traditional arm and leg positions, while the fifth moved around according to her mood: Sometimes it sat coiled atop her head like hair, sometimes it swished behind her back like a tail, and sometimes it moved to the front of her body to assist with tasks that required three hands.
Kelly's limbs were dark and dull in color, but her body was iridescent, like the glimmering wings of a blue butterfly. She was built from indestructible bioengineered materials, covered in armored scales (like a pineapple), immune to microwave attacks, and completely bulletproof (unlike a pineapple).
A series of quantum processors gave her the capacity for independent thought. She was bubbly, funny, and kind, with an IQ of 250.
Kelly was famously considered to be the most advanced robot on Earth. Her groundbreaking technology was highly coveted by government spies and rival corporations, but despite their best efforts, the superbot's mysterious power source remained top secret.
Shiro's mom, Professor Hanayama, had designed Kelly to help care for and protect her son.
The professor was tall and thin, with big, penetrating eyes, a small mouth, and an asymmetrical haircut that had been dyed snow white. She always dressed in gray from head to toe, with a single fresh-cut flower tucked into her lapel for a touch of color.
Professor Hanayama ran one of the largest corporations in the solar system, leading the innovation of bio-quantum technology and working tirelessly to protect what little remained of Earth's natural resources. It was a very demanding job, which meant she didn't get to spend much time with Shiro. They had planned to have breakfast together before she left for work that morning, but Shiro had overslept. Again.
When Professor Hanayama noticed her son and his robot outside her office on the landing pad, she paused her presentation and glowered at them through the window. Shiro pleaded with his hands, miming an apology. His mother turned back to the national ambassadors gathered around the table in the conference room, excused herself, and stepped outside.
"Good morning, Professor," Kelly said, bowing.
"Good morning, Kelly," said Professor Hanayama as she gave Shiro an angry hug.
"Good morning, Mom," Shiro mumbled with his face smooshed against her chest.
"It would have been a better morning if you had shown up for breakfast like we'd planned."
"Ow, Mom, you're squeezing too tight!" Professor Hanayama let go, and Shiro breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm really sorry. I was up late, and I couldn't find my new sneakers this morning, and-"
"Save it, Shiro," said Professor Hanayama. "I'm giving you one last chance. But if you dare break your poor mother's heart again tomorrow, I swear I will send you to the Mars colony to live with your father."
"But the only reason I-"
"I don't have time for any more excuses." Professor Hanayama adjusted th...
