This list was first created for INFO 5530 – Fall 2025. Check out our full LibGuide here! Special thanks to Emma S. Jamie W. and Justin C. for being among the best group members I’ve ever worked with, bar none!
Are you an experienced forager who loves searching for mushrooms and wants to share that passion with the young people in your life? Or are you a teacher who wants to make learning about the classification of living things, particularly the Fungi Kingdom, a little more relatable and entertaining? Afterall, you’re a ‘fun-guy’, right?!
Perhaps you’re more like me, and have never given a lot of thought to fungi before except to know whether you want mushrooms on your pizza or in your pasta. (Yes, please!) Or maybe you and your family are just curious about the recent media hype around mushrooms and don’t know where to get started. No matter! This youth collection of both fiction and non-fiction books on mushrooms is ideal for everyone! It offers a wide variety of reading materials for all youth from toddlers to teens, including heart-warming and funny stories as well as colourful and informative texts.
Links are to WorldCat and you can check your local public and school libraries too!
Fiction
Gustav Is Missing! by Andrea Zuill, 2023.
A shy mushroom named Little Cap sets off into the big, wide world to find his best friend, Gustav the slug. Ages 4+.
On a Mushroom Day by Chris Baker; Alexandra Finkeldey (Illustrator), 2024.
A delightful picture book about discovering different mushrooms on a forest walk. Ages 4+.
I Love You So Mush! by Danielle McLean; Beatrice Tinarelli (Illustrator), 2024.
This rhyming board book celebrates the friendship and love of a group of mushroom friends. Ages 0+.
Monty and the Mushrooms by Dev Petty; Jared Chapman (Illustrator), 2025.
A rollicking forest adventure about some very loud mushrooms who disturb the peace of their marmot neighbours. Ages 4+.
The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught, 2024.
This fantasy graphic novel for teens follows friends Juniper and Hadley, who set out to forage magical mushrooms for a bakery order and instead uncover a mysterious creature threatening local farms and new fey friends. Ages 12+.
If I Were a Fungus by Gaia Stella (Author/Illustrator); Nanette McGuinness (Translator), 2024.
If Leo were a fungus, he wouldn’t be a plant or an animal, and he would live everywhere — mountains, cities, lakes, deserts and on cheese! Ages 5+.
Mushroom Lullaby by Kenneth Kraegel (Illustrator), 2022.
A gentle and imaginative bedtime book that celebrates the wonders of mushrooms. Ages 2+.
Theodore and the Talking Mushroom by Leo Lionni, 2009.
A classic picture book originally published in 1971 from beloved children’s author, Leo Lionni, about a mushroom that says “Quirp” and the importance of honesty. Ages 3+.
A Better Best Friend by Olivier Tallec (Author/Illustrator); Antony Shuggar (Translator), 2024.
In this humorous picture book, a squirrel befriends a mushroom, but as time passes, a problem pops up: can you have more than one best friend? Ages 3+.
Is It Asleep? by Olivier Tallec (Author/Illustrator); Antony Shuggar (Translator,; 2025.
In this second book from Tallec about a squirrel and his mushroom best friend, the pair grapple with the sensitive topic of life and death. Ages 6+.
The Door in Lake Mallion by S. M. Beiko, 2024.
Glowing mushroom cities are featured in this fantasy novel for teens by a popular Winnipeg author. Ages 12+.
Non-Fiction
Funky Fungi by Alisha Gabriel; Sue Heavenrich, 2022
Full of fun facts and interesting STEM activities, this book shows kids that fungi are not just tasty, but also useful. Ages 7+.
Mushrooms and Fungi for Kids by Ariel Bonkoski, 2025.
This kids’ introduction to mycology gives a great introduction to the kingdom of Fungi, as well as a basic identification guide and fun activities for the family. Ages 6+.
The Mushroom Fan Club by Elise Gravel, 2018.
From award-winning Canadian author, Elise Gravel, comes a whimsical but factual exploration of some of her favourite mushrooms! Ages 6+.
Can Mushrooms Save the World? by Eliza Jeffery; Daniel Limon (Illustrator), 2024.
Discover all the amazing things fungi can do to help our planet in this illustrated non-fiction book. Ages 6+.
A fascinating exploration of mushrooms, molds, mildews, yeasts and rusts and how they help and hinder other living organisms. Ages 9+.
Mushrooms Know by Kallie George; Sara Gillingham (Illustrator), 2024.
A sweet book about what mushrooms can teach us, like how the small can be mighty . Ages 4+.
Katya’s Book of Mushrooms by Katya Arnold; Sam Swope, 2023.
This non-fiction text is full of fun and quirky facts about mushrooms and how to find them. Ages 9+.
See a Mushroom Grow by Kirsten Chang, 2023.
A non-fiction levelled reader with photos and a picture glossary, perfect for young scientists. Ages 6+.
Mushroom Rain by Laura K. Zimmermann; Jamie Green (Illustrator), 2022.
This informative book is filled with vivid illustrations and bizarre facts about mushrooms that will satisfy the curiosity of budding mycologists! Ages 6+.
A great field guide for nature lovers that includes journal prompts and activities like how to grow mushrooms in cardboard. Ages 8+.
Lisa's Book Corner 
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