The Mushroom Fan Club

Join Elise Gravel as she explores the science of some of nature's weirdest and wildest characters—mushrooms! Elise Gravel is back with a whimsical look at one of her family’s most beloved pastimes: mushroom hunting! Combining her love of getting out into nature with her talent for anthropomorphizing everything, Gravel 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. Governor General award winning author Elise Gravel’s first book with Drawn & Quarterly, If Found...Please Return to Elise Gravel, was a Junior Library Guild selection, and 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 seek out all of life’s little treasures, stinky or not!

In The Bug Club, Elise Gravel shares all her favourite and most interesting facts about these marvelous creatures, some of which are so unique and strange, you could almost imagine them living in outer space! Most people know that spiders have eight eyes, but what about the caterpillar? These little critters have them beat with a whopping twelve! Did you know mosquitoes are attracted to smelly feet? That the honey bee has hair on her eyeballs? That butterfly feet double as noses? And grasshoppers have ears on their bellies? These are just some of the many things about bugs that make them endlessly enchanting. Elise’s inquisitiveness and charm pop off the page as she takes us on a walk through her mind—and the awe-inspiring natural wonders that exist right outside our doorsteps. If you’re curious what the inside of a slug looks like, The Bug Club has you covered. Not only does Elise answer these burning questions, but she draws it all beautifully and brightly in her signature cartoony style. The followup to her award-winning The Mushroom Fan Club, where Elise shares her delightful and family-friendly mushroom hunting adventures, The Bug Club offers more activities and fun for the whole family. This time, the treasure is hiding just below a rock or that pile of fresh fall leaves.

"Through lyrical text and colorful detailed artwork, the mysterious and sometimes bizarre world of mushrooms is explored. Back matter includes a glossary and science facts"--

Men without women, men without a clue, men loaded to the eyeballs on hallucinogenicsÉ. Three St Andrews University graduates, Victor Emerson, a young Tory monster, Philip Quinn, the psychopathic Trotskyite and Edwards, the original unreliable narrator have only one thing in common; their need to ingest large quantities of magic mushrooms as often as possible. Ten years after graduating with such promise, they are all washed up, all of their schemes have failed. But at last, Emerson has come up with a plan. A crazy, deluded, sociopathic plan, ridiculous, nastyÉ but a plan nevertheless, that just might make them all rich. A parable of our times...If Hunter S Thompson, Thomas De Quincy and Flann OÕBrien could have got together to write a crackpot heist comedy, this would be it...

In Club Microbe, Elise Gravel teaches young readers that germs live all around us—and even inside of us! Guided by Gravel in this formidable introduction to the fascinating world of microorganisms, we learn that some microbes get a bad rep for making us sick, but that most are helpful creatures that allow us to digest food, make cheese, and even enable snowflakes to form in winter. In her signature colorful cartoon style, Gravel describes the invisible work of microorganisms that aid in creating our food, producing oxygen, and keeping our planet alive. She gives us a tour of the heroes and the villains of the microbe world, stopping to marvel at their unique names and wondrous shapes. Following the perennial success of The Mushroom Fan Club and The Bug Club, this latest installment of the hit science-focused collection will deepen readers’ curiosity for all aspects of the natural world. A whimsical primer on the microscopic life that surrounds us, Club Microbe is sure to pique the interest (and imagination!) of any young scientist. Translated by Montana Kane.

"Fungi are all around us. They root and fruit and twist and twine. The mycelium roots spread below ground while the mushroom fruits pop above the earth. Some are edible, and some are poisonous. Some help keep forests communicate, others recycle decaying matter. But all across the world, fungi are growing. Discover when, how, where, and why in this poetic and illuminating nonfiction picture book"--

This new picture book from beloved author-illustrator Jane Mount celebrates the avid reader, demonstrates how books make you better, and reassures anyone who has been anxious or uncertain about facing the real world. Lotti isn't sure she wants to make friends. She's shy, and she doesn't really know how. While everyone around her is playful, outgoing, and loud, Lotti prefers a quiet place and a book to read. Lotti LOVES books. To her, books are full of magic and aren't as scary as new friends. But perhaps Lotti's books can show her how to find magic in everyday moments, and maybe the friends she can share this magic with are closer than she thinks. Iconic Bibliophile creator Jane Mount makes her children's book debut in this imagination-driven story of a shy booklover's attempts to open her mind and find joy with the people around her. This journal-esque narrative—which includes fun recommended reads on each page—explores the process of book discovery for bibliophiles-in-training, and is perfect for enthusiastic and reluctant readers alike! FOR ALL TYPES OF READERS: The story's main character, Lotti, is shy and struggles to make friends, but her imagination and love for reading take her to faraway places and introduce her to new friends. Readers of all tastes will find a relatable character in Lotti and enjoy the diverse books she reads—from fiction and nonfiction to novels and picture books. There's a book for everyone! PROMOTING LITERACY: The concept behind this book is timelessly important: promoting literacy. It is especially helpful for reluctant readers who may need to learn how to navigate resources like libraries and will teach them how to find books in their communities. In each scene, the main character is reading a new book. She visits her school library and her public library and has a tote bag from an independent bookstore. This book encourages kids to literally go out and read, broaden their horizons, and immerse themselves in the rich world of books. INTERACTIVE & VIBRANT: Readers will love discovering new books as they engage with the interactive format of this journal-style picture book, which features book recommendations, book lists and stacks, and lots of bookish commentary and questions in Mount's signature hand-lettering. Her recognizable and vibrant art style achieves a new level of playfulness that will hold endless appeal for young readers. PERFECT FOR FANS OF BIBLIOPHILE: Jane Mount is the creator behind the beloved Bibliophile line of products ranging from journals to stationery to décor for book lovers. Fans will be excited to share this with young ones in their lives! OVERCOMING SHYNESS: Highly autobiographical, this book reveals that Jane was a shy kid, very much like Lotti. She tells her story in the Author's Note. The backmatter also features a stack of all her favorite books, with her charming commentary. ENGAGING RESOURCE TOOL: Aside from being a wonderful tool for excited young readers, this book will be a welcome resource for those who care about making reading more accessible to children—including teachers, librarians, parents, and family members—and fostering connections with young readers. Perfect for: Parents, teachers, and librarians seeking resources for voracious readers and reluctant readers Kids who love reading and enjoy stories about friendship, bookstores, and bookish cats Gift giving for birthday, holiday, graduation, spring break or summer reading Fans of Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany and Bibliophile: Diverse Spines Readers who cherish classic children's books old and new, like Charlotte's Web, Ivy + Bean, Harry Potter, Wonder, The Golden Compass, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, and so many more included on Lotti's shelves Anyone who LOVES books