That's not my kingdom: Exploring mycology through children's literature

Science education, both in schools and through literature, fosters critical thinking and idea generation. However, teachers often lack confidence in fully teaching science subjects, resulting in the oversimplification of concepts. The home environment and literature therefore play crucial roles in supplementing children's science education. Despite the importance of mycology (the study of fungi including mushrooms) to both ecosystem and human health, it is often overlooked in schools. We looked at the representation of mycology in children's literature. In our study of 180 non‐fiction science books, only 45% referenced mushrooms or fungi, yet of these, 97% contained inaccurate or missing information. This included misclassification of fungi as plants and failing to correctly label parts of fungal organisms, meaning that even children accessing school, local and home libraries are unlikely to obtain full and accurate information about mycology. As mycology holds immense potential in medicine, agriculture and environmental conservation, we advocate adjustments to curriculum and to learning materials, to inspire future generations of mycologists and advance research in this vital field.