An ice-cream cone controversy began in 1904 during the World’s Fair in St. Louis. Many take credit for figuring out how to serve ice cream without a dish. Who had the idea first? Was it Ernest Hamwi, a waffle maker from Syria who rolled waffles into cones for use by Arnold Fornachou, who had run out of dishes? Maybe it was Abe Doumar from New Jersey, who took home one of Ernest’s waffle irons. Or was it David Avayou from Turkey, who had seen fancy paper cones during his visit to Paris on the way to the fair? They weren’t the only ones who had figured out how to make what is now called a waffle cone. Italo Marchiony who didn’t even go to the fair, also knew how. Using homemade wafer cones, Italo sold ice cream from his push cart in New York City. He could make ten such cones at the same time, and he patented that invention four months before the fair opened. Greenstein’s brief account of how she solved this highly disputed historical mystery for the purposes of this story illustrated with monoprints overpainted with gouache. (Ages 6–10)

Can an ice cream controversy be red hot? You bet! Here's a colorful picture book that playfully presents the great debate over who invented the ice cream cone. A perfect summer treat.

Who invented the ice cream cone? Ernst Hamwi, a wafflemaker at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, claimed it was his idea. But Arnold Fornachou said his cones inspired Ernst's! David Avayou reported that he brought the cone back from Paris. And Charles Menches announced that his sweetheart created the dessert. Only one man holds the patent for the first cone-making machine, though, and his claims top them all...
In this picture book, Elaine Greenstein shows young readers that history is made by ordinary dreamers -- and it can be just as cool and delicious as a fresh cold ice cream cone.