The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History

by Ann Richards, Arden Taylor (Illustrator)

Overview

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.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459838468
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	05/13/2025
Series:	Orca Biography , #3
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	104
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

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.

Ann Richards is a Jamaican Canadian writer from Brampton, Ontario. She enjoys studying and writing about different cultures and has always wanted to write books about African history. One day she plans to visit Ghana’s Elmina slave castle, and its Door of No Return, to research more stories. Ann has written for the London Free Press and Tekawennake News. The True Story of Vanilla 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.

Editorial Reviews

Ann Richards tells [Edmond’s] story with honor and plenty of historical information, bringing the reality of slavery and its costs to many. Edmond's story is worth reading.”

Sal's Fiction Addiction

★“Moving and bittersweet…Bright, colourful digital illustrations by Taylor vividly show what island life was like during this time period. The book discusses the reality of slavery and the racial violence and prejudice formerly enslaved individuals experienced. This engaging title includes sidebars and fun facts about vanilla.”

starred review Booklist

This book packs a great deal of information about Albius, and vanilla, into a well-paced tome. Taylor’s illustrations are a highlight, bathing the text in warm natural hues that embody lush island flora and the richness of the vanilla plant. A thoughtful and attractively illustrated STEM-centric biography of an underrepresented figure in Black history.”

School Library Journal (SLJ)