THE HOW-TO HANDBOOK

When you can’t ask Mom or Dad how to do something or to do it for you, this may be the ideal book to have handy.

Oliver and Johnson offer explicit, easy-to-understand, step-by-step instructions on how to do 50 essential tasks that include packing a suitcase, popping pimples and folding a fitted sheet. The tasks are divided into five categories: “Everyday Essentials,” “Looking (and Smelling) Good,” “Get to Know Your Kitchen,” “Clean Up Like a Pro” and “Do It Yourself.” Some of the tasks covered seem almost quaint. How many teens are likely to need to iron a pair of pants or own a pair of shoes in need of shining? Others skills, such as organizing closets and drawers, removing stains, mending a seam and sewing on a button—not to mention basic first aid—will come in handy for teens away at summer camp, left home alone or going off to college. Detailed diagrams accompany many of the instructions.

A useful guide to handling everyday tasks and problems.