Children's Book Suggestions | How To...

A selection of nonfiction "how to" books to match our 2025 Summer Reading theme, Level Up At Your Library! For more how to books, you can browse the online catalog or explore our nonfiction section, especially:

  • 001.5 | Coding
  • 507.8 | Science Experiments
  • 641.5 | Cooking & Baking
  • 736 | Origami
  • 745.5 | Crafts
  • 790s | Games (Including board games, video games, and sports)
Updated April 17, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
How to make a book (about my dog)
Barton, Chris
Paper Book
How do you make a picture book? Well, you need an author, an illustrator, and . . . a dog?! Acclaimed author Chris Barton and his trusty pooch Ernie show readers how to make a nonfiction picture book . . . about Ernie! From coming up with ideas, researching, and writing a first draft to...
How to Be a Super Awesome Artist: 20 Art Projects Inspired by the Masters
Carroll, Henry
Paper Book
Take inspiration from some of the world's greatest creators and become a SUPER AWESOME ARTIST! With real works of art to spark your creativity, this great book features 20 art challenges for you to try, as well as helpful 'know-how' features on how to shade with pencils, get creative with collage,...
How to bake a universe
Carvlin, Alec
Paper Book
To bake a universe, you'll need a heaping pile of nothing. That's right, not a single thing! Just make sure you have enough . . . Alec Carvlin breaks down the Big Bang into the steps of a recipe, from the formation of quarks and atoms (preheat your oven to Absolute Hot) to...
How to play chess
Paper Book
Learn chess the fun way and add firepower to your chess strategies with this beginner's guide to the world's most popular game of skill.  From the opening move to checkmate, How to Play Chess is an easy-to-follow guide to achieve grandmaster greatness....
How to build an insect
Gibson, Roberta Lynn
Paper Book
See what the buzz is about in this fresh, fun look at insect anatomy. Let's build an insect! In the pages of this book, you'll find a workshop filled with everything you need, including a head, a thorax, an abdomen, and much more. Written by entomologist Roberta Gibson and...
Killer underwear invasion! : how to spot fake news, disinformation & conspiracy theories
Gravel, Elise
Paper Book
A hilarious and timely tool to help kids learn how to tell what news is true and what isn't.   Can peanuts give you super strength? Were unicorns discovered on the moon? Did Martians really invade New Jersey? For anyone who has ever encountered outrageous...
How to pray : a guide for young explorers
Greig, Pete
Ebook
2021 ECPA Award Finalist in the Christian Living Category "An instant spiritual classic." ―Christianity Today Is prayer the most challenging area of your Christian journey? It doesn't have to be. Pete Greig, one of the founders of 24-7 Prayer...
How to bird
Hamid, Rasha
Paper Book
Birding for everyone, everywhere. Birding is a joyful, wonder-filled activity that anyone can do. Featuring the skyline and natural spaces of New York City, How to Bird invites children to explore birdwatching, with each page featuring a new birding...
So embarrassing : awkward moments and how to get through them
Harper, Charise Mericle
Paper Book
A graphic novel that makes embarrassment into something hilarious - and normal.   You're not alone! No way are you the first kid who ever tripped and fell in public. Or spilled water on your pants so it looked like... you know! For those moments and more, here's...
How to be a color wizard : forage and experiment with natural art making
Logan, Jason
Paper Book
In a bountiful book combining art and chemistry, a celebrated ink maker invites kids to become color wizards--by foraging and transforming natural materials to make their own paint and artistic creations. What colors might await in a leafy forest, a berry-stained back alley, a...
How to be a person
Newman, Catherine
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! For the kid who leaves a wet towel wadded up on the floor or forgets to put a new roll on the toilet-paper thingy, witty parenting writer and etiquette columnist Catherine Newman provides the ultimate guidebook of essential life...
How to be a coder
Prottsman, Kiki
Paper Book
Learn to think like a coder without a computer! Each of the fun craft activities included in this book will teach you about a key concept of computer programming and can be done completely offline. Then you can put your skills into practice by trying out the simple...
Forest Magic for Kids: How to Find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort, and Cook Up an Elfin Picnic
Spikol, Susie
Paper Book
Your enchanted guide to 50+ magical activities for everything from finding hidden flower fairies in your own backyard and making a special wizard staff to creating a tiny woodland village and making your own forest potions. Come discover the wild magic tucked into the...
How to explain robotics to a grown-up
Spiro, Ruth
Paper Book
The best-selling author of the Baby Loves Science series levels up with this playful STEM picture book introducing kids-and grown-ups-to the robotics world. Do you want to know a secret? Sometimes grown-ups need YOU to explain things to THEM. Like robotics! In this...
How to be a fashion designer
Ware, Lesley
Paper Book
"Highly recommended for any aspiring fashionistas." - School Library Journal Design, style, and accessorize clothes with this fun guide full of practical fashion design ideas for kids! Draw and color creations, choose materials, and learn to design...
The clock problem : how to tell time
Wise, Bill
Paper Book
A CBC Book's August Hot Off the Press title! "Speech bubbles provide a challenging vehicle for lengthy explanations about the positioning of clock hands, but Wise otherwise keeps the countdown moving with wordplay-filled banter. Against pale-colored backdrops, Lynch's panels...

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