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The Mushroom Planet #4
A Mystery for Mr. Bass
The search for the truth about some strange fossil bones takes Chuck, David, and the extraordinary Tyco Bass into the unknown regions of the Mushroom Planet.
229 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1960
181 people want to read
About the author
Eleanor Cameron
28 books52 followersEleanor Frances Butler Cameron (1912 - 1996) was a Canadian children's author who spent most of her life in California. Born in Winnipeg, Canada in 1912, her family then moved to South Charleston, Ohio when she was 3 years old. Her father farmed and her mother ran a hotel. After three years, they moved to Berkeley, California. Her parents divorced a few years later. At 16, she moved with her mother and stepfather to Los Angeles. She credits her English mother's love of story telling for her inspiration to write and make up stories.
She attended UCLA and the Art Center School of Los Angeles. In 1930, she started working at the Los Angeles Public Library and later worked as a research librarian for the Los Angeles Board of Education and two different advertising companies. She married Ian Cameron, a printmaker and publisher, in 1934 and the couple had a son, David, in 1944.
Her first book came out in 1950, based on her experience as a librarian. It was well received by critics, but didn't sell well. She did not start writing children's books until her son asked him to write one starring him as a character. this resulted in her popular series The Mushroom Planet.
With the success of the Mushroom Planet books, Cameron focused on writing for children. Between 1959 and 1988 she produced 12 additional children's novels, including The Court of the Stone Children (1973) and the semi-autobiographical five book Julia Redfern series (1971–1988). She won the National Book Award for Court of the Stone Children in 1973, and was a runner up for To The Green Mountains in 1979.
In addition to her fiction work, Cameron wrote two books of criticism and reflection on children's literature. The first, The Green and Burning Tree, was released in 1969 and led an increased profile for Cameron in the world of children's literature. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s Cameron worked as a traveling speaker and contributor to publications such as The Horn Book Magazine, Wilson Library Bulletin, and Children's Literature in Education. She was also a member of the founding editorial board for the children's magazine Cricket, which debuted in 1973. In 1972 she and Roald Dahl exchanged barbs across three issues of The Horn Book, a magazine devoted to critical discussions of children's and young adult fiction. Her second book of essays, The Seed and the Vision: On the Writing and Appreciation of Children's Books, came out in 1993. It is her final published book.
From late 1967 until her death Cameron made her home in Pebble Beach, California. She died in hospice in Monterey, California on October 11, 1996 at the age of 84.[
She attended UCLA and the Art Center School of Los Angeles. In 1930, she started working at the Los Angeles Public Library and later worked as a research librarian for the Los Angeles Board of Education and two different advertising companies. She married Ian Cameron, a printmaker and publisher, in 1934 and the couple had a son, David, in 1944.
Her first book came out in 1950, based on her experience as a librarian. It was well received by critics, but didn't sell well. She did not start writing children's books until her son asked him to write one starring him as a character. this resulted in her popular series The Mushroom Planet.
With the success of the Mushroom Planet books, Cameron focused on writing for children. Between 1959 and 1988 she produced 12 additional children's novels, including The Court of the Stone Children (1973) and the semi-autobiographical five book Julia Redfern series (1971–1988). She won the National Book Award for Court of the Stone Children in 1973, and was a runner up for To The Green Mountains in 1979.
In addition to her fiction work, Cameron wrote two books of criticism and reflection on children's literature. The first, The Green and Burning Tree, was released in 1969 and led an increased profile for Cameron in the world of children's literature. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s Cameron worked as a traveling speaker and contributor to publications such as The Horn Book Magazine, Wilson Library Bulletin, and Children's Literature in Education. She was also a member of the founding editorial board for the children's magazine Cricket, which debuted in 1973. In 1972 she and Roald Dahl exchanged barbs across three issues of The Horn Book, a magazine devoted to critical discussions of children's and young adult fiction. Her second book of essays, The Seed and the Vision: On the Writing and Appreciation of Children's Books, came out in 1993. It is her final published book.
From late 1967 until her death Cameron made her home in Pebble Beach, California. She died in hospice in Monterey, California on October 11, 1996 at the age of 84.[
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 20, 2012
Eleanor Cameron delves more into the history of the Mushroom People in this fourth novel in the series of children's books.
David and Chuck discover bones in a cliff edge, uncovered by a violent out of season rain storm, that glow a faint green, indicating they are of the Mushroom People. Aging indicates they are 500,000 years old. That they are found in Pacific Grove on the west coast of America causes a sensation when word gets out.
It also causes problems for Prewytt Brumblydge, already sick with flu and getting worse. the boys think they need to get more of the metal from Basidium to power his Brumblitron. They believe it will help him recover faster.
With that in mind, they signal Mr. Theo on Basidium with the special lantern for permission to come and get some of the metal. Told that Mr. Theo and Ta, the king, were gone to the Hall of The Ancient Ones and would not return for a while. Fearing it might be too late for their friend, they take off for Basidium in their spaceship.
But the take off six seconds late after midnight and land on Basidium at a different spot, a dead city where they find all sorts of wonders. Going through a black tunnel, they stumble into the Hall and find Ta and Mr. Theo. Explaining themselves, they end up returning to earth, accompanied by Ta, who wants to assess Prewytt before giving up the metal.
We get more of the history of the spore people when Prewytt goes on trial, presided over by the council of thirteen, headed by Mr. Bass, for removing bones from the secret burial grounds of the Mycetians in Wales, the ancestral home of the Sore folk on Earth, for causing trouble with the hoax of the bones in Pacific Grove, and for just not acting correctly.
But Prewytt is more than he seems.
A fine dition in this children's series and a fun read for this old geezer who can still access that wide-eyed little boy that hides inside him.
David and Chuck discover bones in a cliff edge, uncovered by a violent out of season rain storm, that glow a faint green, indicating they are of the Mushroom People. Aging indicates they are 500,000 years old. That they are found in Pacific Grove on the west coast of America causes a sensation when word gets out.
It also causes problems for Prewytt Brumblydge, already sick with flu and getting worse. the boys think they need to get more of the metal from Basidium to power his Brumblitron. They believe it will help him recover faster.
With that in mind, they signal Mr. Theo on Basidium with the special lantern for permission to come and get some of the metal. Told that Mr. Theo and Ta, the king, were gone to the Hall of The Ancient Ones and would not return for a while. Fearing it might be too late for their friend, they take off for Basidium in their spaceship.
But the take off six seconds late after midnight and land on Basidium at a different spot, a dead city where they find all sorts of wonders. Going through a black tunnel, they stumble into the Hall and find Ta and Mr. Theo. Explaining themselves, they end up returning to earth, accompanied by Ta, who wants to assess Prewytt before giving up the metal.
We get more of the history of the spore people when Prewytt goes on trial, presided over by the council of thirteen, headed by Mr. Bass, for removing bones from the secret burial grounds of the Mycetians in Wales, the ancestral home of the Sore folk on Earth, for causing trouble with the hoax of the bones in Pacific Grove, and for just not acting correctly.
But Prewytt is more than he seems.
A fine dition in this children's series and a fun read for this old geezer who can still access that wide-eyed little boy that hides inside him.
July 7, 2025
A great children's book. I first read it in 1964, when it and the rest of the series served as my introduction to science fiction. the vocabulary is sufficient to interest a talented young reader, and the stories could not help but be satisfactory to the reader's parent.
May 4, 2017
Clímax en la saga del Planeta de los Hongos. Un librito atrapante, muy original y entretenido. Un deleite de principio a fin. Deja la vara bien alta para "Mr Bass y el tiempo".
April 20, 2018
Still a fun story and characters, but definitely dated.
March 14, 2019
A great scifi-fantasy series for kids. Why aren't all five tomes in print?
August 15, 2024
Definitely more of a 2.5 star situation. I now remember why I didn't try to continue the series after book 3. I suppose I might someday read on, but I think I'd better enjoy rereading the first two.
March 25, 2021
A marvelous continuing exploration of the Mushroom People. The expansion of this people's history is amazing. Enough Science is included to give this plot development a sense of truth, and possibility.
Ahead of her time, the author includes discussion of potable water, and global warming as a threat to existence. There is also a whizzing discussion of anti-matter, black holes, and the possible explanation of how there are Mycetians on Basidium, and on Earth. Which leads to the discussion about the earthen Mycetians creating a Mycetian League of affairs. One of the earthen members has caused a bit of a brouhaha that must be handled. Ta's ordained visit plays more of a role than we could have guessed.
Mr. Prewytt Brumblydge is on trial. It is Science, versus Belief. Mr. Tyco Bass is such a deep mystery, indeed!
Ahead of her time, the author includes discussion of potable water, and global warming as a threat to existence. There is also a whizzing discussion of anti-matter, black holes, and the possible explanation of how there are Mycetians on Basidium, and on Earth. Which leads to the discussion about the earthen Mycetians creating a Mycetian League of affairs. One of the earthen members has caused a bit of a brouhaha that must be handled. Ta's ordained visit plays more of a role than we could have guessed.
Mr. Prewytt Brumblydge is on trial. It is Science, versus Belief. Mr. Tyco Bass is such a deep mystery, indeed!
February 23, 2009
Part of the Mushroom Planet Series, which got me interested in Sci-fi at a young age. See my review of the first book, "Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet". I found this book a bit weirder than the others. It made me less anxious to continue with the next book in the series, which I had a hard time finding a copy of anyway. So, I believe this was the last book in the series that I read.
March 3, 2015
Good continuation of the Mushroom Planet books. More historical information in this story about the people and their past. Looking forward to the last volume in this series which I have already started. Recommend to all.
June 16, 2008
Light and easy read. Fun flashback into childhood.
February 23, 2026
Another delightful page-turner in the series.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews