- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 6–9
- Comedy
Super Happy Magic Forest and the Humongous Fungus
Book 1 of 4 in Super Happy Magic Forest Chapter BooksView the full series
Part of the Super Happy Magic Forest universeOpen the collection
The Super Happy Magic Forest gang make the leap to chapter books, and nothing has been lost in translation. A humongous fungus is threatening the forest, and our heroes' combined incompetence is now spread across 190 pages of illustrated comedy gold.
- Best for6–9
- FormatIllustrated
- Length192 pp
- Read aloud~2 hr45 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
- Onomatopoeic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Whimsical
- Absurdist
- Irreverent
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
A humongous fungus is growing through the Super Happy Magic Forest, and if something isn't done about it quickly, there won't be a forest left. Blossom, Gumball, Trevor, Herbert, and Hoofius must travel to find the source of the fungal menace and stop it, through landscapes that are at least as weird as anything in the picture books, with obstacles that are at least as improbable. Matty Long's transition to chapter book format is seamless: the visual density of the picture books translates into illustrated pages alongside more prose, with Long's characteristic cartooning style fully intact. The result is one of the most reliable gateway chapter books for reluctant readers: it looks like a picture book (almost), moves at picture-book pace, but delivers the satisfaction of a longer narrative. An essential recommendation for children who loved the picture books but are now old enough to want something that takes longer. Equally, a strong starting point for children who haven't encountered the picture books, the world is quickly established and the characters immediately distinct.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 6–9
- Read aloud · 5–9
- Independent · 6–9
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Laugh out loud
- Reluctant readers
- Visual comedy
- Gift book
- Gateway chapter book
Avoid if
No common reasons to avoid this one — a rare clean sweep on the sensitivity flags.
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Struggling with reading
- Interested in art and creativity
- Making friends
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny fantasy-quest series — a reluctant-reader pleaser and classroom-library staple.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is the leap to chapters — the same five comically useless heroes now in 190 pages of illustrated quest, a humongous fungus engulfing the forest, the picture book franchise stretching properly. The bridge book for children who loved the pictures and want more.
- Secret world
- Adventure and freedom
- Magic powers
- Having a nemesis
Why parents love it
The first Super Happy Magic Forest chapter book — picture-book density translated into 190 pages of illustration-rich quest. Strong gateway for reluctant readers who liked the picture books and need a longer book to feel like an achievement.
- Shared humour
- Nostalgia
- Conversation starter
- Quick to read
In the series
Super Happy Magic Forest Chapter Books.
4 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Matty Long.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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