Ester Gaya is a senior research leader at Kew. She began her career in mycology in Spain and after some time in the USA decided to settle in the UK. She has spent the past 20 years researching fungi. She is especially fascinated by lichens and tries to understand their evolution.

Mushrooms are curious and fascinating life forms brought to the page by author and senior research leader at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England, Ester Gaya. Fungi can be food, poison, and medicine -and sometimes all three. Thanks to Katie Scott's artwork, this gorgeous book presents like the botanical specimens of old children's book form and includes the common and the uncommon, what fungi are, and how important they are to the world's ecosystem. It's oversized (11.06 x 14.88 inches!) and hardcover, making it a great gift for little nature lovers who want to learn. Kids who love this will also love other books in the Welcome to the Museum series including Botanicum and Antatomicum.