As more people around the world discover their love for fungi, new mushroom books are becoming much more common, and we’re here for it!
A few years ago, we wrote some blogs — 5 Must-Read Mushroom Books and 5 Psychedelic Books You Need to Read — and figured it’s time for a refresh, though we still recommend checking out those recommendations if you haven’t already.
The books below are our favorites from the past few years, mainly 2024 and 2025 (so far!). These span a wide range of topics, from scientific guides, psychedelics, mushroom recipes, mushroom books for kids, and more.
By Dr. Gordon Walker
“Passport to Kingdom Fungi” is a fantastic resource all mycophiles and nature lovers should have on their shelves. But don’t let it sit there, it’s also a great field guide! In Part One, Dr. Gordon Walker (aka Fascinated by Fungi) answers every question you might have — or might not even think to ask! — about fungi, on diverse topics including fungal biochemistry, fungal intelligence, and mushroom foraging. Part Two is a thorough mushroom identification guide complete with beautiful photos. “Passport to Kingdom Fungi” is a book you’ll want to return to again and again as your curiosity about the fungal world grows. This makes a great gift for mushroom lovers, which probably includes yourself since you’re reading this!
By Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian
“Forest Euphoria” isn’t strictly a book about fungi, but we wanted to include it as it’s a reflective story of how the fungal kindom can teach us so much about not only nature but also our own inner worlds. Through the lens of her own life, author and scientist Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian takes us on a journey through the queerness of nature, infusing fascinating fungal facts and what we humans can learn from their refusal to resist categorization. This book may move you or, as the book’s tagline aptly says, “challenge [your] expectations of what is normal, beautiful, and possible.” It’s a great read for anyone interested in queer ecology or nature memoirs.
By Eugenia Bone
Written by science writer and mycophile Eugenia Bone, “Have a Good Trip” is a thorough and approachable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the state of psychedelics today. It’s also a great intro to magic mushrooms for folks who are curious and want to know more about safety, benefits, dosing, set and setting, what to expect, and more. You might even want to get a copy for that relative who keeps asking you about microdosing because they heard you like mushrooms! Written in the first person with plenty of personal anecdotes along with scientific explanations, “Have a Good Trip” is a must-have on any mycophile’s bookshelf.
By Julie Beeler
This one’s for all the artists out there! Did you know that a gorgeous array of pigments and dyes can be made from fungi? Maybe you already know about the dyer’s polypore (Phaeolus schweinitzii), but there are oodles of mushrooms that you can forage for their chromatic delights. “The Mushroom Color Atlas” takes you through the world of colors made from mushrooms, including how to identify dye mushrooms, ethical mushroom foraging information, step-by-step instructions for creating dyes and pigments with mushrooms, creative advice, and a diverse array of color swatches. You’ll be amazed at all the colors that come from the fungal kindom!
By Paul Stamets
Mycology legend Paul Stamets is at it again with a new compendium — this time, a guide to psilocybin mushrooms common to North America, Europe, and Australasia. The book contains 300+ color photographs of more than 60 wild psilocybin mushrooms and their lookalikes, and includes detailed information about how to identify psychedelic mushrooms, their habitats, and their geographic distribution. “Psilocybin Mushrooms in Their Natural Habitats” also discusses the historical and cultural use of sacred mushrooms and tips on growing your own magic mushroom patch.
By Marina Terauds
This mushroom coloring book by Marina Terauds has so many amazing illustrations, with mushroom scenes to choose from depending on your mood — some whimsical, some detailed, some simple! It’s perfect for letting the mind unwind or for doodling during psychedelic journey integration days.
By Turnip Vegan
We love a good mushroom cookbook! Turnip Vegan is as obsessed with eating mushrooms as we are. He creates the most delicious looking mushroom dishes and shares his best recipes in “It’s All About Plantz & Mushroomz.”
Get 10% off this book or anything on the North Spore site with code “FUNGIACADEMY.”
With two Mushroom Mamas on our team, we can’t forget the kids books! Here are a few of our new faves.
By Chris Baker
This beautifully illustrated picture book “On a Mushroom Day” encourages curiosity about all the mushrooms that can be found during a walk in the forest. It’s a wonder-full journey with plenty of fungi facts that’s fun to read out loud — and may inspire the little ones to go on a mushroom walk with you wherever you live.
By Melany Kahn
“Mason Goes Mushrooming” teaches the basics of mushroom foraging along with beautiful watercolor illustrations. It even includes a few mushroom recipes based on the story! We love that it’s written by a mycophile who has been leading mushroom walks for more than two decades: Mushroom Mama Melany Kahn whose real-life child is named Mason!
By William Brown
Amateur mycologist William Brown wanted to share his love of mushrooms with his daughter. He endeavored to create a fungal alphabet book to share with her, with each letter a new mushroom character (for instance, C is Chantelle the Chantrelle!). The project had so much community support that he decided to publish it widely as “Fungalphabet,” which means that Mushroom Mamas and Fungi Fathers everywhere have a fun, colorful, educational book to share with their littlest ones.
Copyright 2025 © Fungi Academy. All rights Reserved.