25 of the Best Outdoor Survival Books for Your Teens

We are big outdoor enthusiasts that go camping and hiking at least once a month. If you are looking for some good reading that will teach essential skills that can help in an unexpected dangerous situation then check out our list of the best outdoor survival books for teens.

Best Outdoor Survival Books for Teens

Since our family loves being outside, it is just natural for us to be drawn towards good books and stories that teach about surviving in the great outdoors. We have put together a list of the best survival books and wilderness survival books to help your family know what to do if they find themselves in a survival situation.

Fictional Outdoor Survival Books

Did you know that there is a lot of classical literary fiction that can teach survival skills and wilderness skills to your kids just through reading? My kids loved reading these books and learned so much from them.

1. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is one of the best wilderness survival books about a 12 year old boy who crashes in the Canadian wilderness with only a hatchet his mother gave him. He has to build a shelter with natural materials, start a fire, and find food with only a hatchet.

2. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George is about a young Inuit girl named Julie that is lost in the Alaskan wilderness. She survives by observing and mimicking a wolf pack’s behavior, and learns to communicate with them. She uses her traditional knowledge, background and skills to survive the extreme conditions of Alaska.

3. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George follows a boy who leaves New York City to live alone in the Catskill Mountains. He learns to survive by foraging, hunting, and creating shelter, while forming a bond with a peregrine falcon.

4. Pocket Guide to the Outdoors Based on My Side of the Mountain – This valuable guide is great for kids that want to survive in the outdoors like Sam did. This is a fun and entertaining way to learn how to start a fire, build a shelter, catch a fish, identify useful plants, and much more. 

5. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’ Dell tells the story of Karana, a Native American girl stranded alone on an island off the California coast. She survives by relying on her ingenuity, courage, and knowledge of the natural world.

6. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss is a favorite classic, which is the story of a shipwrecked family who must survive on a deserted island. They use their ingenuity and teamwork to build a new life, creating shelters, finding food, and taming animals.

Outdoor Survival Books Based on a True Story

These non fiction outdoor survival books offer gripping accounts of real-life survival experiences. They highlight the resilience, determination and resourcefulness of people that survived in extreme conditions.

What do survival stories teach us?

Survival stories show us how to stay strong and think on our feet when things get tough. They teach us how to handle extreme situations, use our creativity, and stay determined. These stories also remind us why it’s important to be prepared, how to connect with nature when we’re faced with challenges.

7. Lost in the Wild: Danger and Survival in the North Woods by author Dan Stephens is a true retelling of the harrowing survival stories of Jason Rasmussen, a medical student, and another hiker who are separately lost in a remote area near the Appalachian Trail. It details their struggles to survive in the harsh wilderness, using their endurance and resourcefulness.

8. Amazing Survival Stories for Adventurous Kids by Bill O’Neill – These are 16 true stories about courage, persistence and survival written specifically for kids to teach them how to use their wits to survive in extreme situations.

Outdoor Survival Guides

Outdoor survival guides are usually a step-by-step guide, or a pocket guide that offers practical tips on the basics of survival for different scenarios that you may encounter when you are out in nature. They are great to keep in a backpack that you take with you when you go on hikes.

9. Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by survivalist Dave Canterbury. This outdoor survival handbook covers topics such as: building shelters, making fire, finding and purifying water, foraging for food, and using survival tools. It uses traditionall bushcraft techniques and teaches hands-on skills and the importance of self-reliance.

10. Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival – Written by expert tracker Tom Brown Jr., a survival expert with years of experience. This is an ultimatel guide that offers essential survival techniques for outdoor enthusiasts. It covers skills such as building shelters, finding water, foraging for food, making fire, and navigating the wilderness.

11. How to Stay Alive in the Woods by Bradford Angler is a comprehensive guide on wilderness survival skills, including food, water, shelter, and first aid.

12. The SAS Survival Handbook by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman a former SAS soldier acts as a seal operative’s guide for survival. This handbook is also called the SAS Survival Guide and it covers survival techniques for any situation, including natural disasters and extreme environments.

13. How To Survive A Freakin’ Bear Attack: And 127 Other Survival Hacks You’ll Hopefully Never Need by Bill O’Neill is packed with real life advice for some of life’s challenges and unpredictable situations.

14. The Complete First Aid Pocket Guide by John Furst is a great guide if you are in immediate need of medical help. It will give your teens the knowledge and advice to recognize and respond to a medical emergency.

Kids Outdoor Survival Guides

These are survival guides that are written specifically for kids and teens in a language that they will understand. They are easy to read, encouraging, exciting and fun.

15. Off Grid Kid: Survival Skills For Life by Dale Jinks is a practical guide aimed at teaching children essential survival skills. It covers a wide range of topics, including building shelters, making fire, finding food and water, and basic first aid. It has step-by-step instructions, illustrations, and activities that make learning these important skills fun and interactive.

16. Wilderness Survival Guide for Teens by Rick Bane is written specifically for teenagers. It covers essential survival skills such as building shelters, starting fires, finding food and water, and navigation. It has easy-to-follow instructions and tips to help teens prepare for and handle various outdoor situations using real-life scenarios.

Books on Foraging

Learning about edible plants and how to gather food is a wonderful skill for anyone to learn about, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Your teens will enjoy learning about wild foods and edible wild plants

17. The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Samuel Thayer is a comprehensive guide for those interested in learning about foraging. There are detailed descriptions and illustrations of various edible wild plants, along with practical advice on how to safely identify, harvest, and prepare them

18. The Young Person’s Guide to the Wild: How to Forage and Identify Wild Edibles by Vanessa Hayes is a beginner-friendly guide aimed at children and teens. It introduces the basics of foraging, helping them to identify, harvest, and prepare wild edible plants. The book features clear illustrations, safety tips, and practical advice to make foraging both educational and fun.

19. Foraging: A Guide to Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Adam Haritan is a great resource for foragers of all levels. It has detailed information on how to locate, identify, and sustainably harvest a variety of wild edible plants. The guide includes clear photographs and descriptions to help you in plant identification, along with practical tips on preparation and recipes.

20. Foraging with Kids: A Fun & Easy Guide to Outdoor Foraging for Families by Jessica Kelley is a family-friendly guide designed to introduce children and parents to the world of foraging. The book offers simple instructions and colorful illustrations to help identify safe and edible wild plants. It includes fun activities, safety tips, and recipes.

Outdoor Survival Navigation Books

Learning about navigation is one of the most important basics of survival and outdoor skills that you need to learn. This can help avoid some stressful situations and help you can figure out where you are at if you think you may be lost.

These books cover a range of navigation skills, from traditional methods like map and compass to modern tools like the GPS, these can be valuable resources for your next hiking trip.

21. Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter & GPS by Bob Burns and Mike Burns is a detailed guide on navigation techniques, including map reading and compass use.

22. Be Expert with Map and Compass by Julius H. Peterson is a classic guide to navigation, providing comprehensive instructions on how to read maps and use a compass. This book covers essential skills such as orienteering, understanding topographical maps, and navigating through different terrains.

23. The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail by Andrew Skurka covers navigation skills along with some awesome gear recommendations for all of your hiking and outdoor adventures.

Survival Project Books

These books provide guidance on survival projects with detailed instructions and new ideas to help your teens to develop practical skills and create essential tools for outdoor and emergency situations or a natural disaster they may encounter.

24. Survival Projects for Off-Grid Living: Survivalist’s Handbook of DIY Projects for Preparedness by Johnathan Nash has great DIY projects including building shelters, creating energy sources, purifying water, and growing food. It’s designed to help readers prepare for off-grid living and emergency situations.

25. The Survivalist’s Guide to Making Your Own Survival Gear by Robert C. Mackey will give your teens step-by-step projects to craft their own survival gear, from tools to shelter materials.

Why are wilderness survival skills important to teach your teens?

Teaching your teens wilderness survival skills is important because it helps them build confidence and problem-solving abilities. Learning how to make a fire, build shelter, and find food prepares them for emergencies teaches self-reliance and life skills.

Learning these skills will prepare them for adulthood and keep them safe in outdoor settings. It will give them a deeper connection with nature and help them stay calm and resourceful in challenging situations.