One of the world’s most favorite frozen treats is the star of these six original—and totally unique—stories that are filled with unforgettable characters in unusual situations. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

"A collection of six short stories in a variety of genres and settings, all featuring ice cream"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

Don’t miss the #1 New York Times bestseller everyone is raving about! From the wild and wonderful imagination of the author of Dragons Love Tacos comes this hilarious, irresistible debut 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. - (Penguin Putnam)

Adam Rubin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten critically-acclaimed books, including Dragons Love Tacos, Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel, High Five, Secret Pizza Party, Robo-Sauce, and El Chupacabras, which won the Texas Bluebonnet Award. Follow him on Twitter @rubingo. - (Penguin Putnam)

Booklist Reviews

Having properly established that dragons love tacos in his popular picture books, Rubin moves to longer-form writing with a creative exercise—six short stories, each with the same title (plus a few other shared elements) but different plots, casts, and even illustrators. The tales range from spectacularly gooey riffs on "Strega Nona" and various folktales about hastily phrased wishes to one that features a worldwide tour of ice creams and similar sweet treats, and another about evil ice cream man Cromulous Blotch (a Roald Dahl-ish name if ever there was one), who delights in tricking children so he can salt his sweet potatoes with their tears. Along with added tips and encouragement for budding writers, the author also offers convincing proof that words are magical—as anyone who casts an effective "anti-butt" spell with a "Wet Paint" sign on a park bench or transforms their mom into a "jiggling puddle of warm fuzzies" by slipping a love note into her jacket pocket can attest. Scoops of entertainment and insight for young readers as well as writers. Grades 5-7. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

A compilation of stories drawing upon the appeal of ice cream. Six short tales are combined into an ice cream–themed collection written by Rubin and illustrated by half a dozen leading illustrators. Each story is entitled "The Ice Cream Machine," although the characters, settings, and genres vary greatly, and the subtitles are distinct. The only connections between the stories are that each features an ice cream machine of some type and that each story's characters have an affinity for exclaiming "jangus!" Some stories are more successful than others. "The Ice Cream Machine (the one with the sorcerer's assistant)," illustrated by Miles, combines magic and humor to create a story with a surprisingly deep moral, while the "The Ice Cream Machine (the one with the alien space lab)," featuring art by Miller, is a slow-burn spiraling tale of wish-making reminiscent of The Twilight Zone. Others aren't as successful: "The Ice Cream Machine (the one with the five-armed robot)" meanders, and "The Ice Cream Machine (the one with the ice cream eating contest)" is fun but has a superficial subplot about bullying that will make most readers roll their eyes. As a whole, the text is entertaining but may not be as consistent as readers will hope for. The variety of artistic styles forms a pleasing complement to the different entries. An uneven collection that mostly succeeds. (author's note, writing prompt; ice cream recipe, illustrator bios) (Short stories. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

In this madcap middle grade debut billed as six "wildly different stories with the exact same name"—each illustrated by a different contemporary artist—Rubin (Gladys the Magic Chicken) varies genre, setting, and subtitle in tales that all feature ice cream as an integral component (and "have a half a dozen little wormholes in common, too"). In "The Ice Cream Machine (the one with the ice cream eating contest)," illustrated by Charles Santoso, sisters living in a community of anthropomorphized animals clandestinely enter a contest to unseat the unpopular champion. In Liniers-illustrated "The Ice Cream Machine (the one with the genius inventor)," a mechanically minded kid coaxes a loved one to cognizance, while "The Ice Cream Machine (the one with the sorcerer's assistant)," illustrated by Nicole Miles, offers a gross-out medieval fantasy retelling. Via a varied cast of characters, impish humor, and largely upbeat endings, Rubin underlines the idea, outlined in an introduction, that "writing is magic." Though the collection offers little innovation, the result is comforting, entertaining, and uniformly funny. A seventh chapter invites readers to create a story of their own; back matter includes a recipe and instructions to make ice cream without mechanical assistance. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM Partners.(Feb.)

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 3–7—Picture book author Rubin (Dragons Love Tacos) makes his middle grade debut with this compilation of six short stories of the same name, "The Ice Cream Machine," each with its own subtitle (e.g., "The one with the ice cream eating contest."). With the common theme of an ice cream machine, each story is creative and fun. Featuring original ideas, an amusing cast of characters (including a robot nanny named Kelly), and exhilarating adventures like searching for ice cream in an uninhabited forest in Peru, the book deftly illustrates how one idea can be deeply, uniquely explored. Rubin's writing is inspired, and tweens will enjoy the wordplay. Rubin concludes with a challenge to write the seventh short story for this compilation, prompting readers to get creative and craft their own variation on the theme (a mailing address is included for receipt of said story). Each entry also has exciting black-and-white art from a different illustrator, bringing even more life to the pages of Rubin's fascinating conceptualization of the short story genre. VERDICT Ice cream lovers and tweens in general will get a kick out of this adventurous, whimsical, and funny book. A compelling twist on a sometimes underrated format, this short story collection is a winner.—Gretchen Schulz