“What are the best books about Camping?” We looked at 186 of the top Camping books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 19 titles, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Camping” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 150+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!

Top 19 Camping Books

19 .) A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail written by Bill Bryson

Lists It Appears On:

• Bustle
• Masters Review
• Signature Reads

Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaining guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way–and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).

18 .) Bailey Goes Camping written by Kevin Henkes

Lists It Appears On:

• PBS
• Read Brightly
• The Crazy Outdoor Map

Bruce and Betty were going camping. Bailey had to stay home. “You’re too little,” said his brother. “You can go in a few years,” said his sister. But Bailey didn’t want to wait. And, with the help of Mama and Papa, Bailey went camping right where he was!

17 .) Biscuit Goes Camping written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• The Crazy Outdoor Map

Flashlight—check! Tent—check! Blankets—check! Biscuit is ready to go camping! From blinking fireflies to croaking frogs, there are so many new sights and sounds when you sleep under the stars. But are those rain clouds in the sky? How will Biscuit go camping now? This is the first Biscuit I Can Read that takes place at night, which makes it the perfect story to grab before curling up under the covers with a flashlight!

16 .) Flashlight written by Lizi Boyd

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• Mommy Evolution
• PBS

Inside a tent it’s cozy. But what is going on outside? Is it dark? Is it scary? Not if you have your trusty flashlight! Told solely through images and using a spare yet dramatic palette, artist Lizi Boyd has crafted a masterful exploration of night, nature, and art. Both lyrical and humorous, this visual poem—like the flashlight beam itself—reveals that there is magic in the darkness. We just have to look for it.

15 .) Froggy Goes to Camp written by Jonathan London

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• Teaching Soecial Thinkers
• The Best Children’s Books

Look out, Camp Run-A-Muck! Here comes Froggy. . . . Froggy?s off to camp?and Camp Run-A-Muck will never be the same! Froggy packs a lot into one week: hikes and archery lessons, K.P. and food fights, scary stories and funny songs around the campfire. But only Froggy could also manage to lose his trunks during swim class and overturn his kayak with the camp director in it. Lovable, bumbling Froggy will keep his many fans laughing with his latest antics.

14 .) SAS Survival Handbook written by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman

Lists It Appears On:

• Book Depository
• Camping Things
• Gear Hungry

The ultimate guide to surviving anywhere, now updated with more than 100 pages of additional material, including a new chapter on urban survival “A classic outdoor manual [that] addresses every conceivable disaster scenario. Don’t leave home without it”–Outside magazine Revised to reflect the latest in survival knowledge and technology, and covering new topics such as urban survival and terrorism, the multimillion-copy worldwide bestseller SAS Survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman is the definitive resource for all campers, hikers, and outdoor adventurers. From basic campcraft and navigation to fear management and strategies for coping with any type of disaster, this complete course includes:Being prepared: Understanding basic survival skills, like reading the weather, and preparation essentials, such as a pocket survival kit.Making camp: Finding the best location, constructing the appropriate shelter, organizing camp, staying warm, and creating tools.Food: What to eat, what to avoid, where to find it, and how to prepare it.First aid: A comprehensive course in emergency/wilderness medicine, including how to maximize survival in any climate or when injured.Disaster survival: How to react in the face of natural disasters and hostile situations—and how to survive if all services and supplies are cut off.Self-defense: Arming yourself with basic hand-to-hand combat techniques.Security: Protecting your family and property from intrusion, break-ins, and theft.Climate & terrain: Overcoming any location, from the tropics to the poles, from the desert to the mountains and sea.

13 .) Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival written by Denise Long

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• We Are Teachers

Anyone can get lost while camping or on a hike and Survivor Kid teaches young adventurers the survival skills they need if they ever find themselves lost or in a dangerous situation in the wild. Written by a search and rescue professional and lifelong camper, it’s filled with safe and practical advice on building shelters and fires, signaling for help, finding water and food, dealing with dangerous animals, learning how to navigate, and avoiding injuries in the wilderness. Ten projects include building a simple brush shelter, using a reflective surface to start a fire, testing your navigation skills with a treasure hunt, and casting animal tracks to improve your observation skills.

12 .) The Berenstain Bears Blaze a Trail written by Stan Berenstain

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• The Crazy Outdoor Map

Brother Bear, Sister Bear, and Cousin Fred are determined to get their Trailblazing Merit Badge. They are carefully following the Bear Scouts guidebook. However, Papa Bear has some ideas of his own about the best way to blaze a trail. Through the swamp, the brambles, and Rocky Gorge, Papa forges ahead, getting himself into all kinds of problems. And as usual, the younger bears are able to help him out. That is until Papa Bear decides to make some trailblazer stew. . . Literary legends Stan and Jan Berenstain’s First Time Books address many of the issues of childhood in simple, direct ways, opening the door for discussion and leaving room for parents to personalize each situation.

11 .) The Kids Campfire Book: Official Book of Campfire Fun written by Jane Drake, Ann Love

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• PBS

This book in the Family Fun series has everything you need to know about having a fun and safe campfire. This collection of outdoor activities, games, stories, songs and more is for kids and families to share around the campfire. It includes tips on how to find the best campfire site, identify animal cries at night and locate constellations. Kids will also find out how to make pizza over an open fire, tell a spooky ghost story, or create musical instruments for a sing-along. With more than 125 pages of fun things to do around a campfire, this is the perfect book for every camper, canoeist and camp counsellor!

10 .) Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems written by Kristine O’Connell

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• PBS
• We Are Teachers

Everything that happens when you go camping can be an adventure, from getting dressed inside your sleeping bag on a chilly morning to meeting a moose to sharing secrets in a tent at night. Kristine O’Connell George turns the memorable moments of a family outing into spirited, evocative verse, and Kate Kiesler’s vivid paintings provide a cast of characters and the perfect setting. The captivating poems and pictures in Toasting Marshmallows will leave readers with wonderful memories of a camping trip—even if they’ve never been on one!

9 .) Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping written by Peggy Parish

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• PBS
• Tents and Trails
• We Are Teachers

Amelia Bedelia has never been camping. She tries her best to do as the Rogers order, but pitching a tent is not the same as throwing it into the bushes, and catching a fish with bare hands does not mean keeping. Tent stakes are not the same as tent-shaped steaks. Starting a fire on the grill may take a match more than pine cones and coffee grounds. Shhh for sleeping bags.

8 .) Just Me and My Dad (Little Critter) written by Mercer Mayer

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• PBS
• Tents and Trails

This well-loved Little Critter picture book has become a modern classic. It’s the tale of a father-and-son camping trip filled with Little Critter’s mistakes and good intentions. In spite of difficulties, however, the happy father and son manage to put up their tent, catch fish for dinner, and sleep beneath the stars. In spite of minimal text, the story is full and rich, with endearing illustrations from start to finish.

7 .) When We Go Camping written by Margriet Ruurs

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• Tents and Trails
• The Crazy Outdoor Map
• We Are Teachers

In this beautifully illustrated book, one busy family finds lots to do from sun up to sunset. At the campsite, there’s wood to chop for the fire and fish to catch. And there’s lots of time to explore, climb rocks, splash in the lake, and discover animals in the shadows of the woods. As afternoon turns to evening, supper needs to be made, and just before bed, stories are told around the campfire. When We Go Camping is as instructional as it is delightful. Each painting highlights the tracks of one animal, which curve from the text into the illustration. Readers can turn to the glossary for more details about the wildlife depicted on each page. When We Go Camping is a perfect way to preserve summer memories all year long.

6 .) A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee written by Chris Van Dusen

Lists It Appears On:

• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• Read Brightly
• Tents and Trails
• The Best Children’s Books
• We Are Teachers

Mr. Magee and his trusty dog, Dee, are enjoying a peaceful camping trip when all of a sudden they find themselves plunging down a mountain and teetering on the edge of a huge waterfall! How will they find their way out of this slippery situation? Chris Van Dusen, the creator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, has filled this new adventure with charming illustrations and a playful, rhyming text. A fun read-aloud for children (and adults!) on campouts or snuggling at home!

5 .) Maisy Goes Camping: A Maisy First Experience Book written by Lucy Cousins

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• Autistic Mama
• My Story Time Corner
• PBS
• Tents and Trails
• The Crazy Outdoor Map

Five in the tent! A camping trip with Maisy turns into a slapstick comedy of errors in this hilarious picture-book adventure. When Maisy sets off to go camping in the country, it’s only natural that all her friends come along, too. But they soon find that pitching a tent is not an easy thing to do. Even if they do manage to keep the tent up, there’s the matter of fitting them all in — Maisy, Charley, Cyril, Tallulah, and finally, the huge elephant, Eddie. What a squeezy squish-squash! Good night, campers! Uh-oh-what’s that popping sound?

4 .) Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping written by Melanie Watt

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• PBS
• Tents and Trails
• We Are Teachers

Scaredy Squirrel is not too comfortable with the idea of camping ? unless it’s on his couch! There will be no mosquitoes, skunks or zippers to worry about when he watches a show about the joys of camping on his brand-new TV. But first Scaredy must find an electrical outlet, and that means going into the woods! Will the nutty worrywart’s plans prepare him for the great outdoors, or will his adventure end up as a scary story told around the campfire?

3 .) Curious George Goes Camping written by Margret & H.A. Rey

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• My Story Time Corner
• PBS
• Tents and Trails
• The Crazy Outdoor Map

Curious George Goes Camping is an entertaining story of the Great Outdoors based on H. A. and Margret Rey’s popular primate and painted in the original watercolor and charcoal style. George tries to be helpful, but he of course just ends up upsetting a nearby camper. As he’s hiding in the woods, he meets a forest creature who catapults the mischievous monkey into a chain of even more outrageous events! For more monkey fun, investigate www.curiousgeorge.com and discover all the latest on Curious George books, promotions, games, activities, and more!

2 .) Fred and Ted Go Camping written by Peter Eastman

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• My Story Time Corner
• PBS
• Tents and Trails
• The Crazy Outdoor Map

Fred and Ted—beloved canine stars of P. D. Eastman’s Big Dog . . . Little Dog—are back in an all-new Beginner Book written and illustrated by P. D.’s son, Peter Eastman! In this story Fred and Ted go camping, and as usual, their uniquely different approaches to doing things (such as packing equipment, setting up camp, and fishing techniques) have humorous—and sometimes surprising—results. A charming introduction to opposites that beginner readers will find ruff to put down! Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.

1 .) S is for S’mores: A Camping Alphabet written by Helen Foster James

Lists It Appears On:

• A Dab Of Glue Will Do
• Autistic Mama
• Mommy Evolution
• My Story Time Corner
• PBS
• Read Brightly
• Tents and Trails
• We Are Teachers

Next to baseball and fireworks on the Fourth of July, nothing else seems as American as the family camping trip. From what to pack, where to go, and what to do, this fun book takes readers on an A-Z trail exploring this outdoor pastime. Full color.

The 150+ Additional Best Camping Books

22 Best Camping Book Sources/Lists