From stories about birds to creatures who inspire our homes, here’s our list of favourite children’s reading this summer.
The Bowerbird by Julia Donaldson & Catherine Rayner
Found an empty nest on your nature walk? Or spotted some fledglings?
Birds are great inspirations for young biomimicrists. Birds build all sorts of interesting nests. The bowerbirds can be found in Australia and Papua New Guinea and their nests are amazing. The male bowerbirds build a ‘bower’ to attract a female. They collect objects to impress the female. All sort of interesting things can be found in their whimsical bowers. The satin bowerbird loves to collect blue things while other species look for anything shiny and interesting.
Built by Animals by Christiane Dorion & Yeji Yun
Love this book. Perfect inspiration for those rainy summer days!
Built by Animals is a brilliant book! Absolutely love this follow-up to the book Invented by Animals.
The World’s Most Ridiculous Animals by Philip Bunting
Animals have adapted to thrive on our planet in the most fantastic ways. I love the way the narrator describes the evolutionary reasons or advantages for the extraordinary characteristics in a funny and engaging voice. Wonderful illustrations make this book a real treat. Extra points for including the Sea Sheep, one of my favourite animals!
The World’s Most Pointless Animals: Or are they? It is on our wishlist. It looks great!
Funny Bums, Freaky Beaks: and Other Incredible Creature Features by Alex Morrs & Sean Taylo
The title is sure to spark interest! And the great thing is that this book continues to deliver. The visually appealing book has an underlying message that everybody and everything is strange in its own special way. Differences should be celebrated, and they can ignite the most amazing ideas.
Little Inventors Go Green!: Inventing for a Better Planet by Dominique Wilcox and Katherine Megardon
What could be better than using Biomimicry to Invent for a Better Future? This activity book is the perfect inspiration for budding inventors. It is a follow-up to The Little Inventors Handbook: A guide to becoming an ingenious inventor.
Happy Summer Reading & Inventing!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.
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