Kenneth Kraegel's “Mushroom Lullaby” Gets Third Starred Review, from Booklist

It’s time to go on a mushroom adventure! The story is initially matter-of-fact: “This is a mushroom,” the first page reads, accompanied by an up-close portrait of the fungus in question. The next page zooms out a bit and expands the world: “This is a mushroom that grows in a park. / This is a mushroom that glows in the dark.” After the whirlwind introduction is complete, things take a fanciful turn as readers are shown to an adorable toadstool home of their own, complete with rounded windows and tiny chimney. Stay and play games with chummy butterflies and ladybugs until the sun sets and the front door of the mushroom house swings open, lit softly from within. Climb the stairs to your very own room, brimming with books and toys and a fluffy bed, and slowly sink into a peaceful slumber. The simple, sweet rhymes anchor the gentle story and make it an ideal bedtime read-aloud, and the vibrant ink-and-watercolor illustrations are immersive and intimate, welcoming readers to step straight into the pages. Children will pore over the cozy details, from bug-sized volleyball nets to miniature lantern-lit paths, and the last glimpses of a moonlit mushroom village may even have grown-ups wishing for a relocation to the snug setting. A magical, mellow mushroom dream. — Emily Graham