"On a Mushroom Day," written by Cris Baker and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey
In the last few years, I've been more and more intrigued by mushrooms.
This first manifested as just looking at books of mushrooms and talking to friends about them. I became entranced with the benefits and uses of mushrooms in food and the environment.
Soon my passions turned into forays with experienced foragers and finding fungi treasures on the forest floor.
While still new to the world of fungi I'm always trying now to spread appreciation for mushrooms, and I've just found two books that do this incredibly well.
"Field Notes from a Fungi Forager: An Illustrated Journey Through the World of Pacific Northwest Mushrooms" by Ashley Rodriguez is an absolutely stunning ode to the diversity of mushrooms in the PNW. The book's full color illustrations by Libby England highlight each mushroom's unique color and texture.
"On a Mushroom Day," written by Cris Baker and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey, is a tender story of a young child's day out mushroom hunting.
"Field Notes from a Fungi Forager" is a beautiful book that showcases 50 mushrooms found in the PNW. These include some common ones like Cantharellus formosus, or Golden Chanterelle, that are typically found late summer through fall, as well as Morchella eximia, sextelata, and exuberans, or Fire Morels, which feel fragile to the touch and grow after a wildfire.
Rodriguez also writes about Laetiporus conifericola, or Chicken of the Woods, that has bright orange and yellow colors in a fan shape on mature conifers. He also shares less known species like Pseudohydnum gelatinosum, otherwise known as Cat's tongue or toothed jelly fungus, that has a translucent white to light gray appearance.
Another unique mushroom mentioned is Hydnellum peckii, or Bleeding tooth, that is white but has red liquid that drips from it while young. Although very striking and a little ghoulish, this liquid can be used as a natural dye. There's also Chlorociboria aeruginascens, Blue-stain fungus, with a noticeable blue-green color and small one-to-three-centimeter size.
While Rodriguez's love of fungi shows, she admits her book is not a replacement for an actual field guide nor should it be used to properly identify mushrooms in the wild. Instead, her book is to spread appreciation and awe for the interconnectedness mushrooms bring to nature.
"On a Mushroom Day" is a sweet children's picture book about a child's day foraging for mushrooms with an adult. It shows all the amazing things you may find like different textures and colors to the amazing sights and sounds of the forest.
Baker does a good job of explaining the science of mushrooms and their significance for forests in language perfect for young readers. The book also highlights the importance of respecting a balance with nature and only taking what you need.
The illustrations by Finkeldey truly bring the spirit of each distinctive mushroom to light and show their specialness.
I highly recommend both of these books. "Field Notes from a Fungi Forager" is a great book for beginners to get to know the world of fungi. It is also a great gift for any long-time mushroom lover with its lovely and gorgeous illustrations. "On a Mushroom Day" is an enjoyable book for kids to start their own mushroom adventures with family and friends. It also makes a great gift for nature loving kids.
* Rachel Fowler is a bookseller at Inklings Bookshop. She and other Inklings staffers review books in this space every week.