Today's read hit upon a hobby of our family. So, I was more than eager to take a peek. My husband and I got into mushroom hunting while living in Europe, and not only learned from generational hunters but also took several classes...which might sound like over-kill, but there are dangerous look-alikes which can fool even avid mushroom hunters, who aren't paying close attention.
Since moving to the US, we had to switch gears because...well, the mushrooms changed! But we've slowly gotten back into the flow thanks to our lush forest and now pick Morels, Chanterelles (my personal favorite), Chicken of the Woods, and Puffballs (some get as big as a small loaf of bread!).
But as said, mushroom hunting isn't something a person should just dive into and believe they know what they're doing. Getting someone, who has done it for years and years, is very important on the first several hunting rounds. (Yep, Mommy caution!)
I' excited to announce that this review was also a part of the annual reading list over on wonderful...
ON A MUSHROOM DAY
by Chris Baker
Illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey
Tundra Books
Picture Book
ages 4 to 8
Take a magical walk through the forest and learn all about the wild beauty and wonder of mushrooms on this inspiring picture book journey!
A mushroom day is a day of exploring together and discovering some of the most incredible lifeforms on fungi. In this lyrical, informational picture book structured around a walk through a summertime wood, a child and their caregiver share the sights, sounds and smells of the forest as they observe and identify different varieties of mushrooms. On a Mushroom Day encourages curiosity and a love of fungi in young children and normalizes safe, chaperoned joyful exploration of the fungal queendom all around us. Filled with fun, fascinating fungi facts and a visual catalogue of mushroom species so that kids can enjoy their very own mushroom day in the pages of this book!
A mushroom day is a day of exploring together and discovering some of the most incredible lifeforms on fungi. In this lyrical, informational picture book structured around a walk through a summertime wood, a child and their caregiver share the sights, sounds and smells of the forest as they observe and identify different varieties of mushrooms. On a Mushroom Day encourages curiosity and a love of fungi in young children and normalizes safe, chaperoned joyful exploration of the fungal queendom all around us. Filled with fun, fascinating fungi facts and a visual catalogue of mushroom species so that kids can enjoy their very own mushroom day in the pages of this book!
MY TIDBITS
With whimsical tones and a cheerful respect for nature, this is a book to frolic through the forest with and enjoy.
From the very first page, the atmosphere of the forest embraces the reader like a warm hug. All sense are brought in as two children discover everything from the squishy ground beneath their shoes to the smells, sounds, sights, and more. Every page immerses the reader into the scenes, making this a read to enjoy a moment. But it also incorporates a touch of fantasy as fairies and more accompany the various types of mushrooms, ever playing with the names of the mushroom types. It adds a nice touch of lightness to fit well to the age group and add a sense of joy.
The text is poetic and kept relatively short. They illustrations bring across each scene and mushroom nicely. These do stick to dark tones the entire way through, which radiates the forest atmosphere but also made some details a little less crisp. It does a lovely job at bringing readers into the trees and encouraging them to take time to gaze at the smaller things around them. The variety and wonder of mushrooms comes across nicely and will have readers seeing things they might not have noticed before.
At the end of the book, each mushroom type is again displayed and given a short description. There's then a couple pages with thoughts and facts surrounding fungi and mushroom gazing/hunting. I do wish that the potential danger of mushrooms was addressed more clearly and strongly, since it's more just a mention during these last pages of the book and not part of the 'story' itself.
This makes a lovely addition to a group setting surrounding a nature theme or before heading out on a simple outing, and it works great in a more snuggled situation, especially due to the calming vibes.
CHRIS BAKER is an author, professional mushroom lover, and founder of Chicory Naturalist, a nature shop and community space rooted in Kingston, New York. Baker is also a certified forager and enthusiastic guide to the realm of fungi, leading forays in the Hudson Valley bioregion. Running through all of Baker’s professional endeavors is a passion for reconnecting broken chains of generational knowledge about the natural world. She lives a few blocks from the Hudson River with her spouse, child and two calico cats.
No comments:
Post a Comment