HOW AND WHY WONDER BOOKS were written mostly in period from 1960 to the early 1970s. These books were aimed at young people. All of them followed a similar format and were written in a form of a question presented followed up by an answer. Virtually all of the illustrations were hand art (not photographs). This page serves to document these books and is provided primarily as nostolgia. The contents of many of the books is quite dated by today's standards (for example the one on the Moon), however it is fun to read through them and see how many of the futue predictions were actually realized.
There appears to have been around 70 books in this series. So far as I know some were available in hardcover (the vast majority of the ones I have are paperback). As a child I had about 10 of these books and found them to be very enjoyable.
In this section are photos (actually scans) of the covers of the How and Why Wonder Books that I have in my collection.
No. 5001 in the series.
No. 5002 in the series.
No. 5003 in the series.
No. 5004 in the series. This was one of the first How and Why wonder boosk I received as a young boy.
No. 5005 in the series. This book does not appear on later rosters.
No. 5006 in the series. This book is not listed on later rosters as no. 5006, an apparently newer version came out as no. 5064 (see below).
No. 5007 in the series.
No. 5008 in the series.
No. 5009 in the series.
No. 5010 in the series.
No. 5011 in the series.
No. 5012 in the series.
No. 5013 in the series. This was one of the first How and Why wonder boosk I received as a young boy.
No. 5014 in the series.
No. 5015 in the series.
No. 5016 in the series.
No. 5017 in the series.
No. 5018 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5019 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET. This book does not appear on later rosters. It appears to have been later replaced by no. 5065 (below).
No. 5020 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5021 in the series.
No. 5022 in the series.
No. 5023 in the series.
No. 5024 in the series.
No. 5025 in the series.
No. 5026 in the series.
No. 5027 in the series.
No. 5028 in the series.
No. 5029 in the series.
No. 5030 in the series.
No. 5031 in the series.
No. 5032 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5033 in the series. This image is of the 1974 printing.
No. 5034 in the series.
No. 5035 in the series.
No. 5036 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5037 in the series.
No. 5038 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET. This book (no. 5038) does not appear on later rosters, however a newer version of FISH does (no. 5066).
No. 5039 in the series.
No. 5040 in the series.
No. 5041 in the series.
No. 5042 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5043 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5044 in the series. This book does not appear on later rosters, it appears to have been replaced by BOATS AND SHIPS, no. 5067.
No. 5045 in the series. This was one of the first How and Why books I received as a young boy.
No. 5046 in the series.
No. 5047 in the series.
No. 5048 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET. This book does not appear on later rosters, it was apparently replaced by no. 5068.
No. 5049 in the series.
No. 5050 in the series.
No. 5051 in the series.
No. 5052 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET. This book does not appear on later rosters, it was apparently replaced by no. 5069.
No. 5053 in the series.
No. 5054 in the series.
No. 5055 in the series.
No. 5056 in the series.
No. 5057 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5058 in the series.
No. 5059 in the series.
No. 5060 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5061 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5062 in the series.
No. 5063 in the series. DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY COLLECTION YET.
No. 5064 in the series.
No. 5065 in the series.
No. 5066 in the series.
No. 5067 in the series. This book replaced 5044 in the series.
No. 5068 in the series.
No. 5069 in the series.
No. 5070 in the series (however the number does not appear on the book like older volumes). Also it is one of the few that uses actual photographs (vice hand art) for illustrations.
This volume does not appear to have a number. It is copyright 1972, and this image is of the 1976 printing (note the slightly modified title fonts).
The back cover of a typical How and Why Wonder Book (ones from the 60s and early 70s). All were very similar.
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