Review by Booklist Review
Poor as a child, Milton Hershey probably never tasted chocolate as a boy; but after learning to make sweets while working in an ice cream parlor, he dreamed of opening his own candy business. In this delectable picture-book biography, Cohen describes how, after a series of failures, Milton's first candy-making success was with caramels; however, after experiencing chocolate-making machines at the Chicago World's Fair, Milton bought the whole exhibit and shipped it to his hometown in Pennsylvania. Experimenting with different types of sugar and milk (even changing the types of cows he raised for milk), he struggled through more setbacks until creating America's first milk-chocolate bar. Small text boxes throughout add interesting historical context while double-page illustrations that blend detailed fine lines, retro touches, and candy colors are a tasty treat. The author concludes with a tribute to Milton's philanthropic donation of his fortune to establish a school for orphaned boys. Additional back matter includes a time line and photos of Milton Hershey. This high-interest biography also serves as a scrumptious STEM selection.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Cohen's rags-to-riches biography of Milton Hershey (1857--1945), America's real-life Willy Wonka, is tightly and evocatively told, interweaving lessons of persistence and corporate philanthropy. Hershey, who grew up poor, "probably never tasted chocolate as a child." But after leaving school at 14 to support his family, he began learning candy-making at an ice cream parlor, where he realized a dream to build his own candy business, and wondered about creating affordable confections. Striking out on his own, he failed repeatedly before making his fortune first with caramels, then chocolate, but never forgetting his roots--creating a school for orphaned boys and building an town for his workers to live in, "with tree-lined streets, libraries, schools, trolleys," and affordable housing. Succinct, fact-filled prose detailing Hershey's life pairs well with Salerno's old-timey digital, gouache-textured drawings, which convey the emotional roller coaster of Hershey's youthful hopes, dashed dreams, and thoughtful progress. Photographs and source notes conclude. Ages 4--7. (Dec.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4--In the U.S., milk chocolate and Hershey are nearly synonymous, but how many children know the whole story? Cohen gives readers a detailed picture of Hershey and his legacy. The book starts with his impoverished childhood and moves through his training as a candy maker as well as some of his failed businesses before he finally found success making caramels and then chocolate. There are some interesting text boxes of information about some of his experiments, e.g., on the fat content of the milk from different breeds of cows. Cohen also covers Hershey's philanthropic efforts for orphaned boys and his support of education and training for young people. The artwork is warm and realistic, adding depth and humanity to the text. The back matter includes photos of Hershey, a time line, bibliography, and resources to find out more about him, and about chocolate-making. Readers will admire Hershey for his persistence and perseverance as well as his philanthropy. However, there are already a number of modern biographies on him for this age group, and this one doesn't add any new information or insights to a fairly well-documented life. VERDICT In a crowded field of picture book biographies, this one doesn't really cover any new ground.--Debbie Tanner
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The tale of a real-life Willy Wonka who brought milk chocolate to the masses. The eponymous chocolatier's life begins with gusto, as he is seen peering mournfully at a window full of sweet treats. Born to a lower-income family, "Milton Hershey probably never tasted chocolate as a child." It was working with confections and learning to make ice cream, lollipops, and taffy that turned him on to the idea of candy as a career. Unfortunately, his businesses flopped three times in a row, leading him to the enterprising choice of trying his hand with caramels. That venture succeeded, but after witnessing German chocolate-making machines at the Chicago's World's Fair, he was hooked. "The caramel business is a fad. But chocolate is something we will always have." Even so, the book shows Hershey's repeated failures, experiments, tests, trials, and, finally, success. His philanthropic pursuits, such as establishing a school for orphaned boys, are touched upon at the end. What sticks out, however, is the sheer amount of trying and failing that led to his ultimate triumph. Salerno, no stranger to biographical portraits of the past, makes the book as visually sweet and delicious as a chocolate bar itself. While it is nearly impossible to write a biography of Hershey without sounding like an advertisement, this particular icon's tale is already a familiar name to most. Background characters are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A tasty treat that's informative to boot. (source notes, photographs, bibliography, further resources, timeline) (Picture-book biography. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
