Mushrooms know: Wisdom from our friends the fungi by Kallie George and Sara Gillingham

Did you know that the Nameko species of mushroom can multiply after a lightning strike or that one honey mushroom has an underground network that covers thousands of acres and has been living for 2500 years? If you did not know and want to find out more then this new publication Mushroom Knows might be perfect for you or the young mycologist in your life. Mycology being the study of fungi.

With a bright blue cover and some luminescent mushrooms in all colours, this book will engage young readers and adults alike. With its easy and accessible text sharing the different coloured pages with beautifully drawn images of fungi of all shapes and sizes, this is an interesting and creative look at the world of mushrooms. There are over 30,000 known species of mushroom and this book touches on many that may not be familiar to the reader. There are mushrooms known as Bleeding Tooth, Dog Stinkhorn, Chicken of the Woods, Turkey Tail, Antler Reishi, Eternal Light and Jack-O-Lantern. There are more common ones such as Lion’s Mane which is becoming more popular in dealing with memory loss, Yellow Field Cap and the Puffball. There are bioluminescent mushrooms that glow in the dark and produce a light called foxfire.

Mushrooms are connected to a healthy environment and they are a sign the ecosystem is functioning well but mushrooms are also affected by the growing consequences of climate change. The ‘Did you know?’ section at the end of the book offers some important information as well as the key fact not to eat or touch any mushrooms found in the wild.

Themes: Mushrooms, Fungi, Nature, Ecosystems.

Kathryn Beilby