Chicken of the Woods: Mushroom Book for Children

Chicken of the WoodsBook 1 in a Mushroom Series for Kids!A timid mushroom. A big forest. A heartwarming journey home.Step into the forest with Chicken Mushroom, a nervous little fungi with a long list of fears! Today, he’s on a quest to find the perfect tree to call home. With his checklist in hand and hope in his heart, Chicken visits the towering Silver Birch, the cozy Fir Pine, and even a humble old Oak stump.Along the way, he meets a cast of lively woodland animals—from a chatty woodpecker to a weather-watching squirrel and a prickly caterpillar. But as Chicken soon discovers, courage comes in small steps… and “perfect” might not be what he expected after all.Told in playful rhymes with bright, whimsical illustrations, Chicken of the Woods is a gentle and uplifting children’s book about facing fears, letting go of perfection, and learning that home isn’t where everything is flawless, it’s where you feel safe, and truly yourself.From the AuthorThe idea for this book began with my daughter. While reading story books to her, I noticed mushrooms were always part of the background, but never really the story. They were there, decorating the forest, but never invited to speak. At the same time, I realised how little approachable education exists for children about mushrooms and how much fear still surrounds them.I wanted to change that.While not all mushrooms are edible, many are safe, fascinating, and worth knowing. Through this story, and the Mushroom books to come, I hope to help families replace fear with curiosity, and begin to see fungi not as strange or scary, but as a beautiful and essential part of the natural world.Did You Know?At the end of the book, readers will find a fun “Did You Know?” page packed with real facts about the Chicken of the Woods mushroom—how it grows, what it looks like, and why it’s so beloved by foragers and plant-based food lovers alike.Perfect for ages 4–8, this book is ideal for storytime, classroom reading, a forest school, or any child who’s ever felt a little nervous about trying something new. Chicken of the Woods is a joyful celebration of courage, connection, and finding your place, even if it’s not where you first expected.