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 create animation in 10 easy lessons
Bishop-Stephens, Will
Paper Book
Learn 10 key skills to create your own 2-D and 3-D animations! In this new addition to the Super Skills series, children will master animation in 10 easy lessons! A professional animator teaches children 10 key skills to start creating their own 2-D and 3-D animations. ...
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 the...
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...
Killer underwear invasion! : how to spot fake news, disinformation & conspiracy theories
Gravel, Elise
Paper Book
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 stories like these and wondered whether they were true, this funny, yet informative book breaks down what fake news is, why people...
How to pray : a simple guide for normal people
Greig, Pete
Paper Book
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 build a hug : Temple Grandin and her amazing squeeze machine
Guglielmo, Amy
Paper Book
Amy Guglielmo, Jacqueline Tourville, and Giselle Potter come together to tell the inspiring story of autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin and her brilliant invention: the hug machine. As a young girl, Temple Grandin loved folding paper kites, making obstacle courses, and building...
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...
How to speak cat : a guide to decoding cat language
Newman, Aline Alexander
Paper Book
We know cats are beautiful, secretive, and independent ... but even the most loyal cat owners are often baffled by their own pet's behavior. With veterinarian expert Dr. Gary Weitzman as guide, this fun book helps kids understand what cats are trying to communicate by their body language and...
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 draw cute stuff
Nguyen, Angela
Paper Book
Enter Planet Cute--where kids can make any drawing absolutely adorable! Draw anything and everything--people, animals, and things--and make it CUTE. It's easy! Budding artists just have to pick up their pencils, pens, crayons, or gel markers and follow these step-by...
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...
How to build a human : in seven evolutionary steps
Turner, Pamela S.
Paper Book
The epic story of our evolution in seven big steps! How did we become who we are? With trademark wit, acclaimed science writer Pamela S. Turner breaks down human evolution into the seven most important steps leading to Homo sapiens. How, when, and why did we- ...
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 amplify the...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.