Howard Books in Order

The Howard books are short, lavishly illustrated adventures built around a boy whose imagination is matched only by the outlandish machines he gets to use. Each title drops Howard into a different mode of travel, letting young readers tour parts of creation that are usually out of reach.

In Howard Had a Spaceship, he leaves ordinary sidewalks far behind to explore the skies and beyond, meeting stars and planets as if they were neighbors. Howard Had a Submarine sends him under the sea, where he encounters strange fish, reefs, and the quiet, immense spaces of the deep. Both books lean on big, friendly pictures and simple text to help children imagine themselves stepping into the cockpit or hatch alongside him.

Howard Had a Hot Air Balloon takes the same spirit of exploration up into the clouds. Drifting over oceans, jungles, deserts, and polar ice, Howard looks down on the incredible variety of animals and landscapes spread across the world. The story points lightly to the richness of creation without turning into a lecture.

In Howard Had a Shrinking Machine, the scale flips. A device from his grandfather lets Howard shrink smaller and smaller, from cat sized to flea sized and beyond. From that tiny vantage point he discovers beauty and complexity in things most people overlook, from dandelion seeds to insects’ wings and even, briefly, the twisting shapes of DNA. The adventure is playful, but it also invites children to see everyday life as full of hidden wonders.

Taken together, the Howard books encourage curiosity about the natural world and basic science, all through the eyes of a relatable child hero. They are written to be read aloud in a single sitting, with clear, engaging pictures for children who like to linger on the page. For parents and teachers, they offer easy jumping off points for conversations about oceans, space, tiny creatures, and the God who made them all.