How? The Most Awesome Question and Answer Book About Nature, Animals, People, Places ? and You!

When Oma arrives to stay with Jake, Lizzie, and their parents, they want to make her visit extra special — so off the family goes to Jake's birthday party, the library, the beach, and many other places! These familiar childhood excursions prompt many questions from Jake and Lizzie. How do candles stay on fire? How do librarians remember where all the books go? How does the sand get so hot? Curious kids everywhere want to know — and no adult has allthe answers. In the same style as the highly successful Why?, How? provides kid-friendly explanations for nearly one hundred everyday mysteries. Bright, playful illustrations from Scot Ritchie complement the clear text and set the scenes for the common questions that kids ask. A scrapbook-style page at the end of each chapter offers additional information in snapshots and captions. How? combines the best qualities of non-fiction and picture books to delight young readers again and again. 

Catherine Ripley is a former editor of chickaDEE Magazine as well as the author of several acclaimed children's books. She contributes regularly to children's magazines and lives in Edmonton. Scot Ritchie is an award-winning illustrator of more than 30 books for children including Why? by Catherine Ripley and Let's Go! by Lizann Flatt. He loves to travel and his work has taken him to London, Berlin, and Hawaii. He lives in Vancouver.

CHAPTER 1 Happy birthday

How do balloons float?
Why do balloons pop?
How did birthday parties get started?
Why do we have noisemakers?
Why do we wrap presents?
How do I grow taller each year?
How does batter turn into cake?
Why do we sing the birthday song?
How do candles stay on fire?
Why is cake so yummy?

CHAPTER 2 Off to the library

Who invented the library?
How does the library get all its books?
How books are made?
Why are some books hardcovers and some paperbacks?
Why do I need to be quiet in the library?
Does reading make me smarter?
Why do libraries have computers?
How do computers know stuff?
How do librarians remember where all the books go?
Does every library have a restroom?
What happens when I check out a book?

CHAPTER 3 Pets, Pets, Pets!

Where do pets come from?
Why are dogs different sizes?
Do dogs dream?
Why do betas fight?
How do fish see underwater?
How come tarantulas are so hairy?
Why do cats purr?
How do parrots talk?
How do snakes eat really big stuff?
Why do hamsters go on a wheel?
Why do hamsters stuff their cheeks?

CHAPTER 4 Feeling Sick

How do I get sick?
Why do I throw up?
Why does the thermometer go in my ear?
Why do I get so hot when I’m sick?
How do I sneeze?
How do I catch somebody else’s cold?
Why do I have to get lots of rests when I’m sick?
When should I go to the doctor?
How is medicine made?
How does medicine work?

CHAPTER 5 Road Trip

How does the steering wheel turn the car?
Why are there so many different traffic signs?
Why are wheels round?
How are roads built?
How are bridges built?
Why does gasoline smell so strong?
Why are there speed limits?
On a sunny day, why does it look like there is water on the road again?
How come my sister gets car sick?
Who invented the first car?

CHAPTER 6 At the Beach

How does the sand get so hot?
How does all the sand get to the beach?
Why does wet sand work better for sandcastles?
Why do beaches have seagulls?
How do shells get so shiny?
Why do I hear the sea in a shell?
How do I float in the water?
Why is the ocean salty?
How are waves made?
Hey! Why does the water knock over my sandcastle?
How many whales are in the oceans?
Why does the sun burn me?

CHAPTER 7 Airport Good-byes

How do planes land so easily?
Who invented the airplane?
Why are there so many people at the airport?
How do X-rays work?
Where does my suitcase go?
Why do hugs make you feel so good?
Why does the security gate beep?
How do planes take off when they weigh so much?