Under a Mushroom … Again

Anita Lobel :: Under a Mushroom

“Under the mushroom lived Mr. and Mrs. Troll …”

I remember when I got this as a kid I was enthralled by it. I don’t know if it was the slight hippy-daze hangover it seemed to have, the lure of living under a mushroom, the European feel … but I poured over this non-stop. At the time, it was so different in style from the other books I was being given, and the story was just off-kilter enough to set me off. Back at the parental mushroom, they had held onto it … for more years than I’m going to admit to and I had to have it back.

It’s a simple story of some trolls living peacefully under a mushroom. One day it starts to rain and all kinds of folks start scurrying by and end up taking refuge with the trolls. Of course the obligatory party starts that ends in the destruction of the trolls’ mushroom. After everybody falls asleep, mushrooms spring up overnight and in the morning there are mushrooms a-plenty for everyone to live under. Of course, the troll family gets the biggest and the best to replace their old domicile, just as everybody tries to get another party started. But the trolls opt for some alone time and learn to enjoy their new “community” of mushroom dwellers.

To be honest, I don’t much about Anita Lobel other than coming across some of her other work, that she was born in Krakow, Poland and spent some childhood time “ducking Nazis” during WWII. That sounds like enough for anyone. In fact, later on when I found out where she came from and some of her childhood travails during the war I could see that reflected in the story and art.

” … and he strolled away to visit friends and neighbors.”

It’s a super little gem that I was thrilled to get back under my mushroom.