nature animals · Ages 3-5

The Mushroom That Popped Up After Rain

A mushroom is the visible part of a fungus that grows well when the ground is damp.

The whole story

1. After the morning rain, a young red squirrel found a bump beneath an oak tree.

2. The young red squirrel with warm russet fur, a cream-colored belly, bright black eyes, a fluffy russet tail, and a tiny green leaf tucked behind one ear wondered what waited underneath.

3. By breakfast time, a pale cream cap had popped up beside the oak tree.

4. The mushroom stood taller than the squirrel’s smallest paw.

5. A gentle blue jay joined the squirrel and peered beneath the mushroom cap.

6. Thin lines hid beneath the cap, while the stem held it above the ground.

7. The squirrel traced the wet soil and found fine threads beneath the mushroom.

8. Those hidden threads spread through the damp ground, where the fungus grew well.

9. The mushroom was the visible part of a fungus that grew well when the ground was damp.

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