Review By Gabrielle

Get up close and personal with one of earth’s strangest organisms in The Little Book of Mushrooms.

Favourite Quote:

Mushrooms are an integral part of life on earth and have a long history of worldwide relevance. They help save lives, create forest ecosystems, store carbon, make new materials, build soil, and feed people, animals, plants, and all life as we know it.

Goodreads Synopsis: 

A beautifully illustrated guide to 75 of the most unique and fascinating mushrooms in the world, including interesting insight into their history, uses, and etymologies.

From sweet little toadstools to giant puffballs, mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes. With over 10,000 mushrooms in the world, some are cute and colorful, while others may look super adorable but are actually deadly. No matter the kind, it’s time to celebrate all types of mushrooms with The Little Book of Mushrooms .

This book is a collection of everything you need to know about 75 of the world’s most unique mushrooms. With information on their etymology, geographic location, characteristics, and culinary or healing powers, this book is the perfect companion for amateur mushroom hunters, cottage-core fans, or anyone just looking for a beautifully illustrated book on some of the most incredible fungi around the world.

I have long been a fan of mushrooms, but I honestly didn’t know much about them. So when I had the opportunity to review this book, I jumped at the chance. I’m so happy I did. This book feels a little like stepping into a fantasy world. Beautifully illustrated by Sara Richard and with an absolutely gorgeous design, I felt transported into the magical world of mushrooms. 

The first part of the book takes you through the basics of mushrooms. Their life cycle, the different types of mushrooms, and basic terminology are all discussed. I found this part incredibly helpful. With short but detailed descriptions, I learned a lot but wasn’t overwhelmed either. Mushrooms are complicated, but this section of the book made them easier to understand.

The rest of the book is “profiles” of 75 different species of mushrooms. Each one includes detailed information on where they can be found, the type of environment they prefer, their uses by humans, including if they are edible, medicinal, etc., their common and Latin names, a lovely illustration of each, who first discovered and named the mushroom and much more. I found myself completely sucked into the book. Mushrooms are just so interesting!

If you are a nature geek like me, or if you like learning about weird and wonderful things, I highly recommend The Little Book of Mushrooms.

Thanks, Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.