We recently got a question from a parent about our opinions on great outdoor survival books for kids. It got us thinking and we decided to ask our staff and make a list of our favorite wilderness adventure books. Whether you are looking for a holiday gift or birthday gift for your outdoor adventure-loving family member or are simply looking to expand your outdoors knowledge, we hope you find this list helpful. This list isn’t separated by age or experience level, please do your own research before checking out any book on this list.
BEST OUTDOORS BOOKS – NONFICTION
- Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
- Storm & Sorrow by Robert W. Craig (KSS Founder!)
- The Push: A Climber’s Journey of Endurance, Risk, and Going Beyond Limits by Tommy Caldwell
- Ultimate High by Goran Kropp
- The Boys’ Book Of Survival by Campbell Guy
- Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival by Denise Long
- How to Stay Alive in the Woods by Bradford Angier
- SAS Survival Handbook by Lofty Wiseman
- A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
- The NOLS Cookery by Claudia Pearson
- Naturalist’s Guide to Canyon Country by David Williams
- The Long Walk: The True Story Of A Trek To Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz
- Alive by Piers Paul Read
- Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
- Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper
- Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales
- Where the Water Goes by David Owen
- Allen and Mike’s Avalanche Book by Allen O’Bannon and Mike Clelland
- Winter World: Ingenuity of Animal Survival by Bernd Heinrich
- Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
- Surviving the Extremes by Kenneth Kamler
BEST OUTDOOR BOOKS – FICTION
- The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- The Maze by Will Hobbs
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Did we miss an amazing book that you think should be included on this list? Email us and let us know!
