Biomimicry is packed with the natural world’s inherent innovations and solutions to problems. Vancouver writer Dora Lee has pulled together dozens of examples of the ways science follows nature’s lead, from wild prairies acting as a model for more effective farming, to rat whiskers inspiring robotic navigational technology.

The book is organized into categories, with an introduction and several short entries discussing different ways nature has inspired science. Each is no more than a paragraph in length, and is illustrated with a soft-focus drawing of the natural object in question.

The problem is the snippets of information are so brief the entries feel incomplete. They may serve as jumping off points for further study rather than in-depth sources, especially for kids at the higher end of the target age group. As well, many entries seem as though they should appear under different headings. For example, a paragraph about sick chimpanzees seeking out and studying specific plants appears in the “creative communications” section, though it might make more sense under the “medical marvels” heading.

Toronto-based artist Margot Thompson’s illustrations make this a beautiful book about nature, but there is little in the art to reflect the modern science that Lee addresses.

Biomimicry serves as an excellent introduction to the concepts on offer, but lacks the substance to live up to its potential.