There once was a man who spent his days in the dark. He worked in a mushroom farm, and people called him the mushroom man, for he even resembled the crop he tended. Children teased him on the street, but the man had been blessed with a cheerful disposition. He was, for the most part, content—but he was lonely.

In Ethel Pochocki's moving little story, the mushroom man sets out to find a companion. After a bit of trial and error, he ultimately does, in a nether world warmly illuminated by Barry Moser's shadowy but sensitive illustrations.

9 x 10, 32 pages, color illustrations
Children/Grades 3-6

thel Pochocki is the mother of eight, and foster parent to seven cats. The author of many children's books, including The Gazebo, Maine Marmalade, Rosebud and Red Flannel, Wildflower Tea, A Penny for a Hundred, and The
Mistletoe Girl and Other Christmas Stories, she makes her home in Brooks, Maine.

Barry Moser is an award-winning illustrator with over 200 books to his credit, including Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which won a National Book Award. He is a member of the National Academy of Design and currently serves on the faculty of the art department of Smith College. Illustrator, designer, educator, lecturer, and essayist, Mr. Moser lives in western Massachusetts with his wife Emily, four cats, and an English Mastiff.

TEACHERS TAKE NOTE:

An older man who works on a mushroom farm has a kind heart but is teased and called names by children who make fun of him because of the way he looks. Yearning for a friend, the Mushroom Man becomes enchanted by a beautiful cat named Beatrice. However, she turns out to be a poor choice for him since she enjoys wandering and does not truly value his love. Just as the Mushroom Man begins to believe that is destined for a solitary life, he comes across another potential companion: a mole. Despite their differences, the friendship between the Mushroom Man and the mole blossoms. They develop a unique bond because they have many similar tastes, including a preference for darkness over daylight. Young readers will enjoy Barry Moser's wonderful illustrations that depict the mole and the Mushroom Man celebrating their special friendship.

The Mushroom Man will help inspire classroom conversations about:

* The importance of friends in our lives
* Making new friends
* Activities to share with friends (finding common interests)
* Teasing and bullying
*
* Understanding character differences
* Gift giving