How Things Work Facts and fun, questions and answers, things to make and do

How Things Work is designed to appeal to and encourage the curiosity that young children have about the objects around them. Starting with the common questions about how things work—from how a house is constructed to what powers a rocket to reach the moon—the book follows a little girl named Koko and her three companions as they take things apart, ask questions, and draw conclusions from their discoveries. Readers learn through a variety of explorations, including seeing which things snap and which bend, discovering why water has the magical ability to change shapes, making a string phone, and playing music with a noisy bottle orchestra.

Throughout the book, Koko and her companions address questions that preoccupy young children: How is it made? What makes things move? What are sound and light? How big or small? With bold and energetic illustrations, and with games, recipes, and craft activities interpolated with the lessons, How Things Work combines learning and play to help children more fully comprehend their world.

A ragtag bunch of characters help kids learn about science, the world, and a little bit of everything.

— Portland Book Review

Action-packed…This ambitious picture book attempts to answer questions and spark imagination about virtually every object that may be found in a child’s immediate surroundings.

— New York Journal of Books

An entertaining introduction to an array of useful scientific concepts.

— Publishers Weekly

This eye-catching book of infographics explains how different processes work…A solid addition for general collections or those in need of science-related activity books.

— School Library Journal