The Mushroom Planet series by Eleanor Cameron
The Mushroom Planet series by Eleanor Cameron is a beloved collection of children's science fiction novels that began with "The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet," published in 1954. The series follows two boys, David and Chuck, who embark on thrilling adventures after responding to a mysterious advertisement seeking help to build a spaceship from a peculiar man named Mr. Tyco Bass. Their journeys take them to the enchanting invisible planet of Basidium-X, where they interact with a kind race of mushroom beings and take on various challenges, including protecting their newfound friends and uncovering ancient mysteries.
Cameron was inspired to write the series after her son expressed a desire for a story about a boy building a spaceship. The blend of fantasy, science, and elements reminiscent of fairy tales has resonated with young readers, leading to multiple sequels: "Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet," "Mr. Bass's Planetoid," "A Mystery for Mr. Bass," and "Time and Mr. Bass." The series has been well-received, earning critical acclaim and multiple awards, including the Hawaiian Children's Choice Nene Award. Through her engaging storytelling, Cameron not only entertains but also inspires imagination and curiosity about science and adventure, solidifying her reputation as a significant figure in children's literature.
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The Mushroom Planet series by Eleanor Cameron
First published:The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet, 1954; Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet, 1956; Mr. Bass’s Planetoid, 1958; A Mystery for Mr. Bass, 1960; Time and Mr. Bass, 1967; all illustrated
Type of work: Science fiction
Themes: Science, social issues, and friendship
Time of work: The mid-twentieth century
Recommended Ages: 10-13
Locale: Pacific Grove, California
Principal Characters:
David Topman , a bright and adventurous boy, who dreams of traveling in spaceChuck Masterson , David’s best friend and fellow adventurerTyco Mycetes Bass , a scientist from the planet Basidium-X, who aids the boysTheodosius Bass , Tyco’s brilliant cousinMrs. Topman , David’s understanding motherDr. Topman , David’s father, who helps the boys guard the secret of Basidium-XCap’n Tom Masterson , Chuck’s grandfather, who helps them rebuild their space ship
The Story
In The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet (1954), David Topman reads a mysterious advertisement in the newspaper. Mr Tyco Bass is seeking a space ship to be built by two boys and promises that adventure awaits the builders. Mr. Bass, a small man with a huge head, introduces David and Chuck to the invisible planet of Basidium-X. Sensing trouble, Mr. Bass enlists the boys’ aid in traveling to the planet. He prepares the boys’ ship for the flight and gives them detailed instructions. The plot unfolds like a puzzle as the boys strive to follow Mr. Bass’s plan.
On Basidium-X, the boys explore a beautiful mushroom world, peopled by a kindly and loving race. The Great Ta, ruler of this world, explains that the plants on which the people live are dying. David and Chuck leave behind their mascot, a hen, since her eggs can supply the sulfur the people need in their diets. The Great Ta presents the boys with a necklace of jewels. After their return home, the boys’ space ship is destroyed in a storm. The mysterious Mr. Bass simply blows away on the wind but leaves the boys his house, his diary, and his inventions for future adventures.
In Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet (1956), Mr. Theodosius Bass helps the boys prepare their space ship for another visit to the Mushroom Planet. The boys are tricked by Mr. Peabody, a vain scientist, who stows away on their ship. He threatens to reveal the existence of the invisible planet. The Great Ta protects his world’s existence by tricking the invader into drinking a potion which causes him to forget all he has seen.
In Mr. Bass’s Planetoid (1958), the boys must use their space ship to locate Mr. Tyco Bass. Mr. Brumblydge, a brilliant scientist, has invented an energy-producing device which may destroy the world. The scientist has disappeared, and his employer needs Mr. Bass’s help in finding him. The boys, looking for Mr. Bass, travel to a small planetoid. Desperate, they use their ship to locate the missing scientist and destroy his invention.
In A Mystery for Mr. Bass (1960), Dave and Chuck discover some mysterious, ancient bones on a cliff near their homes. In solving the mystery, the boys again visit the Mushroom Planet, where they discover a Lost City of the Ancients and learn of an ancient curse. Members of the Mycetian League, spore people who live on earth, help the boys in solving the mystery of the lost bones.
The series ends with Time and Mr. Bass (1967). Mr. Bass invites the boys to attend a meeting of the Mycetian League in Wales. They find that the Great Ta’s necklace has been stolen. As they trace the stolen gems, they are drawn into an ancient curse, cast against Mr. Bass’s family. The boys bravely aid Mr. Bass in retrieving the necklace and lifting the ancient family curse.
Context
Cameron’s first work was an adult novel. The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet was her second book and her first book for children. An earlier attempt at writing a children’s book had not been successful. Requested by her son, David, to write a book about a boy his age who would build a space ship and fly away, Cameron developed the idea for the first book in the Mushroom Planet series. Children, including David, loved it. Cameron found children’s responses so rewarding she continued to write for children, including four more books in the series.
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet combines the fantasy of the fairy tale, myth, and legend with the books of Sir James Jeans, the great British astronomer. In the Mushroom Planet books, Cameron sought to follow in the tradition of Hugh Lofting, whose unique blending of fantasy and science in Dr. Doolittle and the Moon (1928) she and her son so enjoyed.
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet, Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet, and Mr. Bass’s Planetoid achieved critical as well as commercial success. All were Junior Literary Guild selections. Cameron received the Hawaiian Children’s Choice Nene Award for Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet in 1960.
From these early successes, Cameron has become one of the world’s most highly respected children’s writers, with a career spanning more than thirty years. Among her many awards, she has received the American Library Association Notable Book Award for her works A Room Made of Windows (1971), The Court of the Stone Children (1973), To the Green Mountains (1975), and Julia and the Hand of God (1977). Cameron offers the reader a rare insight into the process of how a book idea is conceived and developed in her discussion of Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet in her book of critical essays, The Green and Burning Tree (1969).