Architecture, buildings and homes books for children
Children’s, young adult and teen books about architecture, buildings and homes. This list contains 50+ titles, for children who are fascinated by different kinds of buildings, how they are constructed, where they are located, why they look the way they do, what they are made out of, who lives in them and how homes have changed over times. These titles are ideal for the nonfiction section of school libraries, or for reading at home or for inspiring home learning activities in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. This list features books by Charlotte Guillain, Britta Teckentrup, Moira Butterfield, Roman Belyaev, Andrea Beaty, Mick Manning, Brita Granström, Jenny Jacoby, Paul Farrell and more.
Architecture, buildings and homes books for children – our recommendations
Home by Carson Ellis. 
This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe. 
The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain. 
Under the Same Sky by Britta Teckentrup. 
A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano. 
Homes Around the World by Moira Butterfield. How Does a Lighthouse Work? by Roman Belyaev
Uncover the mysteries of lighthouses, find out what lighthouse keepers do, read about the most unusual lighthouses and discover the science behind these iconic buildings. With clear writing, engrossing imagery, and a cleverly structured format that’s perfect for upper KS1/KS2 readers, this book offers a delightful blend of history, science, and geography, making it an ideal resource for reading comprehension tasks and coastal-themed lessons.
Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty. 
Iggy Peck’s Big Project Book for Amazing Architects by Andrea Beaty. 
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. 
From Mud Huts to Skyscrapers by Christine Paxmann. 
Architecture for Kids by Horacio Sanchez. 
How to Be an Engineer by Carol Vorderman. 
Cool Architecture by Simon Armstrong. 
Let’s Build a House by Mick Manning and Brita Granström. 
Archidoodle by Steve Bowkett. Cool Technology by Jenny Jacoby and Jem Venn
With endless facts and punchy graphics, this history of technology spans the Stone Age to the present day, and beyond. Critical moments in humankind’s development are described from early tools to game-changing machines such as the compass, the printing press and gene editing. But it’s not just science – cultural changes are also chronicled, including architecture, clothes design and food. This cracking book is crammed with detail, will fit into an extra large pocket and is ideal for long journeys, holiday reading or a primary school library.
The Building Boy by Ross Montgomery. 
What Adults Don’t Know About Architecture by The School of Life. 
Build a Skyscraper by Paul Farrell. 
Belonging by Jeannie Baker. 
Mouse House by John Burningham. 
Awesome Engineering Skyscrapers by Sally Spray. 
Town and Country by Craig Shuttlewood. 
My Bed by Rebecca Bond. 
How Was That Built? by Roma Agrawal. 
A World of Cities by James Brown. 
How Does My Home Work? by Christine Butterworth. 
Come Home with Us! by Anne Kubler and Caroline Formby The Looking Book by Lucia Vinti
Right from the Ferris Bueler movie quote at the start: “Live moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”, this book invites young artists to embrace the world around them and have a go at everything. A diverse range of artists, such as Frida Kahlo, David Hockney and Clementine Hunter are profiled, and different locations, such as ‘in the town’, ‘at home’ and ‘going to the gallery’ are explored. But at every stage there’s a practical opportunity for children to create art, with architectural observations, people watching and collage amongst just some of the activities. This is a fantastically creative and inspirational book of ideas for 7-13 year olds. Highly recommended.
House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser and Jon Klassen. 
A New Home for a Pirate by Ronda Armitage and Holly Swain. 
Home by Alex T. Smith. 
Moving Molly by Shirley Hughes. 
The Homes We Build by Anne Jonas and Lou Rihn. 
Architecture According to Pigeons by Stella Gurney and Speck Lee Tailfeather. 
The Story of Buildings by Patrick Dillon and Stephen Biesty. 
See Inside Famous Buildings by Rob Lloyd Jones and Barry Ablett. 
See Inside Houses Long Ago by Rob Lloyd Jones and Barry Ablett. Click the buttons below to purchase all of the books in this architecture, buildings and homes book list, as well as class sets of any of these books and many more, from Bookshop.org UK. Or buy the 20 most popular titles from this list from Amazon – ideal for gifts or your classroom library.
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Architecture, buildings and homes resources for teachers
- RIBA’s architecture website offers a wealth of useful free resources for teachers. There are downloadable learning resources for home-schooling and ready made projects for schools. Topics include exploring the world around you and sustainable architecture.
- The Courtauld has launched a free resource for primary schools using Somerset House as a case study to explore how buildings shape our daily lives, how to analyse buildings and how to think like an architect – all through cross-curricular art, design, English history and PE activities.
- The Center for Architecture in New York has a great range of free self-guided activities for students, including designing a rooftop hat, how to redesign your room, designing a marble maze, and creating a memory map of your neighbourhood.
- Access Art’s Be an Architect pathway invites 5-8 year olds to explore architecture and build their own models – through a complete unit of weekly art lessons. Examples and CPD are available on their website.
- Ireland’s RIAI has a comprehensive range of over 300 pages of detailed lesson plans and worksheets for children interested in architecture, with units including ‘my home’, ‘neighbourhood, village, town, city,’ and ‘buildings through history.’
BISAC JNF005000 JUVENILE NONFICTION / Architecture | Thema YNTP
