Future foragers are invited to come along!
There are treasures in the forest just behind Mason’s house. In this first-of-its-kind foraging story told through the eyes of a third-generation mushroom hunter, Mason takes his cues from thunderstorms and apple blossoms to grab a basket and hit the woods. We join him on his forays with his four-legged pal, Buddy, to hunt edible mushrooms through lush Vermont landscapes as he scores morels in springtime, chanterelles in summer, and black trumpets in autumn.
The premise is simple: four seasons, four woodland adventures, four wild edible mushrooms, and four delicious recipes. Author (and Mason’s mom) Melany Kahn quells common fears and puts the “us” in mushrooms, by weaving simple education through a playful, fungi-finding adventure. Mason teaches us it’s never too early to learn, and never too late to start.
Mason Goes Mushrooming takes us on a woodland treasure hunt, crossing paths with plucky critters and nature’s trickery. We discover what a summer rainstorm and spaghetti have in common, how to hear the gentle swells of ocean waves without leaving the forest, and why a dog can be a valuable partner on a foraging caper. We also learn that fairy rings are real.
Four kid-friendly, forest-to-frying-pan recipes highlight flavor notes. In the last pages, the featured mushrooms are demystified for newbie foragers. Illustrator Ellen Korbonski enchants with evocative watercolors capturing the beauty of the mushrooms, the thrill of the hunt, and Mason’s fertile imagination, in a style that pings with the charm and timelessness of an enduring classic.
Advance Praise
“Mason Goes Mushrooming captures the wonderful experience
of mushroom hunting, a magic that touches both children and adults.”
~ Eugenia Bone,
author of Mycophilia, and the Fantastic Fungi Community Cookbook
“If I had found Mason Goes Mushrooming in the library when I was a first-grader, my love for mushrooms would have blossomed before I was ten. What a delightful and unique book! Melany Kahn—whose love for teaching children about nature I’ve seen firsthand—
proves that mushrooms are for kids, too. I can’t wait to share
this book with my young grandchildren.”
~ David William Fischer, Mycologist, American Mushrooms™,
author, Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America
“I wish I’d had this book when I was a kid—a real gift for anyone inclined
towards the outdoors!”
—Bill McKibben, author of We Are Better Together
“Mason’s love of mushroom foraging is at the heart of mindfulness: expanding one’s heart through deep connection to the natural world. Thank you, Melany Kahn, for your
knowledge of mushrooms and showing us how everything is connected!”
—Lauren Alderfer, author of Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda
“I love Mason Goes Mushrooming, reminding me of the wonder of the forest, more importantly, my 2 and 4-year-old sons love it too.”
—Eben Bayer, CEO and Co-Founder of Ecovative, mycelium materials pioneer
“Mason’s enthusiasm for collecting mushrooms is palpable. After his mushrooming adventures, he’s pictured with one adult inspecting the finds and then cooking:
a morel omelet, pasta with chanterelles, lobster sauté, and crispy black trumpet chips. Korbonski’s watercolor illustrations are evocative.”
—Mahnaz Dar, Young Readers’ Editor, Kirkus Reviews
“Melany Kahn has written the perfect introduction to foraging mushrooms—using skillful narrative she walks us through the seasons of foraging, with just the right amount of detail and caution. This is the perfect jump-off for families and educators, with exquisitely detailed watercolors that evoke warmth and also convey a sense of accuracy.
This is a must-have for all bookshelves.”
—Jane Knight, Children’s Buyer Bear Pond Books, Montpelier VT
~
Reviews
“An engaging children’s story that teaches about the adventure and fun of foraging in the woods and covers several science standards, such as biodiversity, structure and function, information and processing, and ecosystems. The watercolor illustrations by Ellen Korbonski are beautiful and imaginative. Foraging for mushrooms also teaches mindfulness. When searching for mushrooms, you focus and slow down.” —Eva Gordon, Mycophile Magazine, of the North America Mycological Association
Sneak Peak . . .
Read-Aloud Video with the Author Reading . . . and more information at the end!
GWP Author hits the spotlight . . . Watch Melany Kahn’s TEDx Talk!
About the Author & Illustrator
Melany Kahn started hunting for mushrooms in Vermont in 1968 when her family bought a farm in West Brattleboro. She attended Wesleyan University (BA, English/Creative Writing). She holds a Masters in Social Work from Boston College and MFA in Film from The Tisch School at NYU, where she met her illustration collaborator, Ellen Korbonski. Melany lives in New Hampshire with her husband and children, and you can find her leading mushroom walks or foraging at every opportunity.
Ellen Korbonski, a native of Los Angeles, has lived and worked in New York City for over thirty years. A graduate of Wesleyan University, Ellen attended the NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ MFA in Filmmaking. Ellen has worked for 25 years as a graphic designer. After the birth of her first child, Ellen landed a job at a children’s picture book publisher. She fell in love with the genre and became an illustrator. This is her debut picture book. Ellen lives in Harlem with her jazz-pianist husband, Helio Alves, and two amazing daughters. www.ellenkorbonski.com
SPECS
NONFICTION / CHILDREN’S PICTUREBOOK
32 pages; 8.5 x 11/ CLOTH
$17.95 print / $9.99 e-book
ISBN: 978-1-9505848-8-8 (print)
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
Distributor: IPG / Chicago
Rights sold: All rights available.
Rights contact: Dede Cummings
dede@greenwriterspress.com
Keywords: Mushrooms; Foraging; Nature;
Edible Mushrooms; Children; Family; Cooking
Website: http://masongoesmushrooming.com
Publicity Contact: Antonette Badami, antonettebadami@gmail.com
Distributor: IPG; also available through Ingram, Follett/Baker & Taylor, and other wholesalers.
Individuals can pre-order directly from Bookshop.org, Indiebound.org, online, or contact your local, independent bookstore.
Booksellers, libraries, colleges/universities, gift shops, etc., can order directly through IPG:
Independent Publishers Group
814 N. Franklin Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Order Placement: (800) 888-4741
Via email: orders@ipgbook.com
For a review copy, digital or print, email dede@greenwriterspress.com