In this delightfully offbeat informational book with a friendly, engaging narrative and comic-style art, mushrooms take center stage. The silliness of the illustrations, including mushrooms with googly eyes, is part of the overall charm, but so, too, is the author’s enthusiasm, whether she’s describing mushroom hunting with her children, or some of her many favorite types (many are not edible, while some, she cautions, are downright deadly). The interplay of narrative and art offers moments of laugh-out-loud humor, while Gravel’s appreciation is boundless, whether commenting on the poetry of mushroom names (Pink Disco, Cat Dapperling, Whiskery Milkcap, Devil’s Fingers…) or the quirkiness of their appearance. Gravel cautions readers about the importance of not eating unknown mushrooms, but most of all encourages them go outside and see what they can find. (Ages 8–12)

Appeared on Best of 2018 lists from Quill & Quire and the Globe and Mail!

“Although the fungi are anthropomorphized with cartoon eyes and goofy grins, the research behind the book is real.”—The Globe & Mail 100 Best Books of 2018

“Gravel turns adventures in mushroom hunting into scintillating reading material.”—Quill & Quire Best Kids’ Books of 2018


Elise Gravel is back with a whimsical look at one of her family’s most beloved pastimes: mushroom hunting! Combining her love of exploring nature with her talent for anthropomorphizing everything, she takes us on a magical tour of the forest floor and examines a handful of her favorite alien specimens up close. While the beautiful coral mushroom looks like it belongs under the sea, the peculiar Lactarius indigo may be better suited for outer space. From the fun-to-stomp puffballs to the prince of the stinkers—the stinkhorn mushroom—and the musically inclined chanterelles, Gravel shares her knowledge of this fascinating kingdom by bringing each species to life in full felt-tip-marker glory.

The Governor General Award–winning author Gravel’s first book with Drawn & Quarterly, If Found . . . Please Return to Elise Gravel, was a Junior Library Guild selection and an instant hit among librarians, parents, and kids alike. Fostering the same spirit of creativity and curiosity, The Mushroom Fan Club promises to inspire kids to look more closely at the world around them and to seek out all of life’s little treasures, stinky or not!