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Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City on Earth
Mind-bendingly original and full of intricate illustrations, Ultrawild is totally unique, containing over one hundred outrageously funny, scientifically plausible inventions for rewilding cities and saving the planet.
Join maverick inventor Steve Mushin as he tackles climate change with an avalanche of mind-bending, scientifically plausible inventions to rewild cities and save the planet.
Jump into his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a kilometre), brainstorms biomaterials with scientists and engineers, studies ecosystems and develops a deadly serious plan to transform cities into jungles, rewilding them into carbon-sucking mega-habitats for all species, and as fast as possible.
Through marvellously designed and hilarious engineering ideas, Mushin shares his vision for super-high-tech urban rewilding, covering the science of climate change, futuristic materials and foods, bio reactors, soil, forest ecosystems, mechanical flight, solar thermal power and working out just how fast we could actually turn roads into jungles, absorb carbon and reverse climate change.
Developed over seven years, Ultrawild is an optimistic book about creative thinking, science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and the potential for massive change. Filled with laugh-out-loud design-ridiculousness, it aims to empower and excite a new generation of designers, scientists, engineers and ultra-wild thinkers.
'If this book does not fire your imagination, nothing will. Steve Mushin doesn't hold back when thinking about our green future; humanity needs all the ideas it can get to bring climate change under control, and this book is packed with them!' Professor James Renwick, climate scientist
Join maverick inventor Steve Mushin as he tackles climate change with an avalanche of mind-bending, scientifically plausible inventions to rewild cities and save the planet.
Jump into his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a kilometre), brainstorms biomaterials with scientists and engineers, studies ecosystems and develops a deadly serious plan to transform cities into jungles, rewilding them into carbon-sucking mega-habitats for all species, and as fast as possible.
Through marvellously designed and hilarious engineering ideas, Mushin shares his vision for super-high-tech urban rewilding, covering the science of climate change, futuristic materials and foods, bio reactors, soil, forest ecosystems, mechanical flight, solar thermal power and working out just how fast we could actually turn roads into jungles, absorb carbon and reverse climate change.
Developed over seven years, Ultrawild is an optimistic book about creative thinking, science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and the potential for massive change. Filled with laugh-out-loud design-ridiculousness, it aims to empower and excite a new generation of designers, scientists, engineers and ultra-wild thinkers.
'If this book does not fire your imagination, nothing will. Steve Mushin doesn't hold back when thinking about our green future; humanity needs all the ideas it can get to bring climate change under control, and this book is packed with them!' Professor James Renwick, climate scientist
86 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2023
6 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 15, 2025
This work of graphic nonfiction is overflowing with curiosity and intriguing concepts. While that is really amazing, it was also really overwhelming to read because of just how much information is bursting from each page. I think reading a physical copy of this would be easier to take in. However, I did enjoy it. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
June 26, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for access to this one. This was interesting. I felt there was a lot going on each page and it was hard to focus on- but I know there will be people out there very interested in this one! It just wasn’t for me.
December 19, 2023
Steve Mushin is an industrial designer and inventor who specialises in making machines to transform cities into ecosystems. In this book we get to explore all the wonderful and fun ideas that Steven has come up with to ‘rewild’ cities on Earth.
This book will have you hooked in for a LONG time! There is just so much to explore within these creative pages. I really enjoyed how this book introduces us by giving reasons as to why thinking about ludicrous ideas is a way to strengthen our brains and creativity. A wonderful concept to explore with your children.
There are just so many inventions to unpack in this book — toilet compost cannons, robot birds, mechanical millipedes, sewer submarines and even armoured luxury hotels for native animals. As I mentioned earlier, you can spend an insane amount of time exploring this book and I encourage you to do so.
Steve has used his incredible brain to create a book that puts a smile on your face and gives you a welcomed laugh, all the while, teaching you some great things about the world. This book will get you thinking and inventing your very own ideas to help ‘rewild’ the world around us.
🧠 Teaching Point:
BIG IDEA — There have been many times when I have asked my students what they think the ‘big idea’ of the book is. This questions gets them thinking about what message, idea or purpose the book is trying to get the reader to think about. This book would be fantastic teaching this reading skill.
This book will have you hooked in for a LONG time! There is just so much to explore within these creative pages. I really enjoyed how this book introduces us by giving reasons as to why thinking about ludicrous ideas is a way to strengthen our brains and creativity. A wonderful concept to explore with your children.
There are just so many inventions to unpack in this book — toilet compost cannons, robot birds, mechanical millipedes, sewer submarines and even armoured luxury hotels for native animals. As I mentioned earlier, you can spend an insane amount of time exploring this book and I encourage you to do so.
Steve has used his incredible brain to create a book that puts a smile on your face and gives you a welcomed laugh, all the while, teaching you some great things about the world. This book will get you thinking and inventing your very own ideas to help ‘rewild’ the world around us.
🧠 Teaching Point:
BIG IDEA — There have been many times when I have asked my students what they think the ‘big idea’ of the book is. This questions gets them thinking about what message, idea or purpose the book is trying to get the reader to think about. This book would be fantastic teaching this reading skill.
June 6, 2025
An absolutely stellar book that champions environmental awareness. This whole book is incredibly educational and inspirational. My first thought when I started it was, “Omg, I might have missed my calling in life as an environmental engineer.”
And there are no words for how much I loved the quirky, whimsical, and downright bonkers art in this book! Even the color themes are an aesthetic delight.
Great art and great science. It's all presented in a way that is fun and accessible and so, so inspirational (although there are some hard truths in here, as well).
This is hands down the best environmental science book that I have had the pleasure of reading. It was so impactful that I even got teary eyed at one point.
Perfect for all ages.
And there are no words for how much I loved the quirky, whimsical, and downright bonkers art in this book! Even the color themes are an aesthetic delight.
Great art and great science. It's all presented in a way that is fun and accessible and so, so inspirational (although there are some hard truths in here, as well).
This is hands down the best environmental science book that I have had the pleasure of reading. It was so impactful that I even got teary eyed at one point.
Perfect for all ages.
July 2, 2025
I received this DRC from NetGalley.
This book presents very creative solutions to combat climate change and animal extinction. Even though the ideas seem unrealistic at first glance, they were really thought out and researched for feasibility. I also liked the quirky artwork style. My only problem was that it was a bit hard to read digitally since it was filled with a lot of dense text.
I think it's a fun, unique read for anyone concerned about the environment and is looking for some very imaginative ways to rethink how we can fix things.
This book presents very creative solutions to combat climate change and animal extinction. Even though the ideas seem unrealistic at first glance, they were really thought out and researched for feasibility. I also liked the quirky artwork style. My only problem was that it was a bit hard to read digitally since it was filled with a lot of dense text.
I think it's a fun, unique read for anyone concerned about the environment and is looking for some very imaginative ways to rethink how we can fix things.
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December 1, 2024Could we convert abandoned sewers into underground rivers and ride through them in submarines?
Steve Mushin is a mad genius. From quitting fossil fuels to birdsong amplifiers with mating call effects pedals. I really need to know what this guy was on when he wrote this book.
For the next few months, I will be hyperfixating on aquaponics, hydroponics, bioponics, vermiponics, peeponics and pooponics.
Steve Mushin is a mad genius. From quitting fossil fuels to birdsong amplifiers with mating call effects pedals. I really need to know what this guy was on when he wrote this book.
For the next few months, I will be hyperfixating on aquaponics, hydroponics, bioponics, vermiponics, peeponics and pooponics.
July 10, 2025
I thought this was a great book filled with ideas to create a purpose. Each idea was broken down and out so no rock was left unturned for invention or why it would be necessary. It made me think of the invention competitions we’d have in elementary and middle school and I’d hope it inspired more young people to grow up and exercise the elasticity of their brains to solve the worlds biggest problems.
November 8, 2023
A wonderfully wild book of idea-sparking inventions for kids. Ultrawild imagines a way out of climate change that involves cutting-edge technology, communities working together, the most bizarre inventions, and more chickens than you might think. Fans of Andy and Terry’s books will love it.
August 30, 2024
I thought this was the perfect childrens non-fiction book, both funny and interesting! I want to read it again because I know I didn't get all the details the first time, but I think this will really capture the imagination of children! And let's be honest, we need imagination for science!
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June 23, 2025Booklist review pending
July 13, 2025
I reached out to this title out of two interests: first, in picturebooks as a way to graphically organize storytelling; second, in environmental communication. And this edition turned out to be a pretty interesting one on both fronts.
Mushin organizes the book around several curious inventions that could help with rewilding our urban landscapes. The inventions are, admittedly (and as admitted by the author himself), pretty preposterous—wild, one could say. But their impracticality is not the point: the book is not supposed to teach specific, concrete ways to return our cities of concrete to a more sustainable existence. Rather, the idea is to raise awareness of the urgency to do something about humanity’s unsustainable practices and to urge young people to think big when looking for solutions to the problems that previous generations are bequeathing to them.
The visual style is also very interesting, a bit resembling that of some Wimmelbooks, where a huge part of the experience is perusing the pages for details that are fun on their own, independently of any main informational function that such a picturebook has.
Would love to get my hands on a copy when it's out, because this is one of those editions that should be enjoyed in full size on paper, not on a screen.
Publication date: September 9, 2025.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. The opinion above is entirely my own.
Mushin organizes the book around several curious inventions that could help with rewilding our urban landscapes. The inventions are, admittedly (and as admitted by the author himself), pretty preposterous—wild, one could say. But their impracticality is not the point: the book is not supposed to teach specific, concrete ways to return our cities of concrete to a more sustainable existence. Rather, the idea is to raise awareness of the urgency to do something about humanity’s unsustainable practices and to urge young people to think big when looking for solutions to the problems that previous generations are bequeathing to them.
The visual style is also very interesting, a bit resembling that of some Wimmelbooks, where a huge part of the experience is perusing the pages for details that are fun on their own, independently of any main informational function that such a picturebook has.
Would love to get my hands on a copy when it's out, because this is one of those editions that should be enjoyed in full size on paper, not on a screen.
Publication date: September 9, 2025.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. The opinion above is entirely my own.
December 29, 2025
Steve Mushin’s Ultrawild is a bold, imaginative vision of rewilding cities through inventive, scientifically plausible solutions. Packed with humor and cutting-edge ideas—from habitat-printing robot birds to compost cannons—this book challenges readers to rethink urban landscapes. With intricate illustrations and a passion for STEM, Mushin inspires creativity while tackling climate change head-on. A must-read for anyone passionate about a greener, wilder future.
Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group and Steve Mushin for the eARC!
Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group and Steve Mushin for the eARC!
October 13, 2025
4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Graphic Universe for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Ultrawild is an incredibly creative, optimistic, and passionate plan to rewild the planet and reverse climate change. The art and designs are super fun and colorful, and there's a ton of real science that is written in a way that children could easily understand. This is definitely the exact kind of book I would have carried around in my backpack for an entire school year back in middle school. I also love how much this book encourages kids to expand on these ideas and explore their own creativity!
Thank you to NetGalley and Graphic Universe for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Ultrawild is an incredibly creative, optimistic, and passionate plan to rewild the planet and reverse climate change. The art and designs are super fun and colorful, and there's a ton of real science that is written in a way that children could easily understand. This is definitely the exact kind of book I would have carried around in my backpack for an entire school year back in middle school. I also love how much this book encourages kids to expand on these ideas and explore their own creativity!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews