I am so pleased to have heard from many children and parents who have enjoyed reading CocoaIce together. I hope that some of the parents and teachers who have enjoyed this book, will also enjoy reading BULLOUGH'S POND, a book for grownups published under my childhood name, Diana Muir.

Cocoa Ice shows me two different worlds which is why I really like it. I live in Maine and have seen ice ponds and ice being harvested. It seems silly to us in Maine that people would pay money for ice because it is everywhere in the winter, but when you go someplace hot and tropical you realize the ice is something good. I like having stories that are about girls, and different places and times. Cocoa Ice makes me smile and want hot chocolate.

This book shows two sides of the historical journey of chocolate from producer to market -- but really it is the personal story of two little girls from two cultures who both enjoy chocolate (what little girl doesn't?). The illustrations are wonderfully evocative. We have to read this book again and again to our 4-year-old for the story, and to our 7-year-old "because it has facts in it." I am ordering extra copies to give for birthday presents for all the upcoming 5-year-old parties.