Mason Goes Mushrooming

“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

This first-of-its kind foraging story, Mason Goes Mushrooming takes us on a woodland treasure hunt. We follow a young boy and his four-legged pal, Buddy, to hunt edible mushrooms through lush Vermont landscapes, morels in springtime, chanterelles in summer and black trumpets in autumn. Curious about mushroom foraging or how you can hear the sound of the ocean without leaving the forest? Mason teaches us it’s never too early to learn, and never too late to start.

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. Four kid-friendly, forest-to-frying pan recipes highlight the flavor notes of the mushrooms featured. A short identification guide is provided 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.

Author 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. Mason Goes Mushrooming is her first book.

Illustrator Ellen Korbonski has lived and worked in New York City for over thirty years. Originally drawn to theatre and fine art, she has also studied filmmaking and freelanced as a graphic designer. Following the birth of her first child, Ellen landed a job at a children’s picture book publisher. Immediately, she fell in love with the genre and eventually tried her hand at illustration. Ellen lives in Harlem with her jazz-pianist husband and two amazing daughters.