what's the actual way to make a book in minecraft?

no cows nearby? four rabbit hide crafts into a leather, so rabbits work too. once you've got books, an ink sac and a feather turn one into a book and quill if you want to write in it.

three paper and one leather. paper is sugar cane, leather is cows. if this is for bookshelves, be warned it's three books plus six planks per shelf and you want fifteen of them, so get a cane farm going before you start or you'll be there all night.