Let’s Go Camping: 13 Picture Books to Spark Outdoor Adventures
by Sharon Holbrook
Ah, summer nights! Fireflies, flashlights, s’mores, and tents; it’s camping season, and your kids are ready for outdoor adventures. With these books about camping in the great outdoors, prepare for or relive your own trip, or just live vicariously from your air-conditioned living room.
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Llama Llama Loves Camping
Available from:Llama Llama and his friends are going camping for the first time, and they're both excited and a little nervous. They soon learn that new things that seem scary at first can be super fun! Your kids will see how this relates to their own challenges and adventures.
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Fred and Ted Go Camping
Available from:In this Beginner Book, young readers meet two lovable dogs who are good friends, even though they are opposites of each other. Fred and Ted have different ideas about how they should camp, from the way they pack, fish, and cook, but they are always respectful of one another. This charming book is an excellent introduction to the concept of opposites, and your child will love the friendship between these funny pups.
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Bluey: Camping
Available from:Join Bluey as she forges an unexpected friendship during her camping trip with her family! Although there's a language barrier between her and her new friend Jean-Luc, they discover all the wonder the great outdoors offers together. The fun never ends, from hunting to planting to learning to survive outside. But as the trip winds down, Bluey worries, wondering if she'll cross paths with her friend again.
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The Camping Trip
Available from:In this delightful tale of firsts, young readers see through Ernestine's first camping trip that the camping is for everyone! Ernestine is all packed, prepped, and excited for her first sleepover outdoors with her dad. Once they arrive, she discovers that the great outdoors is not as easy as it seems. From wrestling with her rebellious tent to encountering the lake's fishy inhabitants, Ernestine wonders if she has what it takes to truly love camping.
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Camp Tiger
Available from:Camp Tiger is a beautiful coming-of-age story about a young boy who, while on a camping trip with his family, befriends a tiger in the woods. With text that helps kids find their own independent spirit and dazzling illustrations, this book is sure to spark any child’s imagination.
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Peppa Pig and the Camping Trip
Available from:For fans of Peppa Pig, join her, Daddy Pig, and her brother George as they go on vacation outdoors in this perfect read-aloud for summertime. Daddy Pig borrowed a fancy camper van, that has so many exciting features that Peppa can't wait to try! She can see out to the stars from the roof, dive into all the nature activities with George, and try out Daddy Pig's old tent. Follow along as they explore all the delights of nature.
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Nana the Great Goes Camping
Available from:Camping in the great outdoors is even better when Nana is involved! She's excellent at hiking, cooking over a campfire, and exploring the wonders of nature. Memories made with Nana will last a lifetime.
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Camp Cretaceous, Volume One
Available from:For fans of the Netflix show, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, comes an amazing novelization that will send your kids on a great adventure to Isla Nublar — the home of Jurassic World. When events don’t go according to plan, the campers of Camp Cretaceous will need to work together to survive the dinosaurs. It is truly a camp experience like no other!
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The Math Adventurers Share a Camping Trip
Available from:For little math lovers, follow along with Beeps and Bops the robots, as they tackle the outdoors and discover math can be found everywhere! They're all ready to go and checked all their camping necessities off their list. A snuggly sleeping bag each, tents, and a basket of juicy strawberries to share. Oh no! There's not enough pegs for each of their tents. Can they quickly decide how to divide up what they have before sunset?
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Welcome to Camp!
Available from:This comic book edition is perfect for boys and girls alike who want to go on an adventure to Camp Cretaceous. Full-color, action-packed pages will transport your child to the land of the dinosaurs.
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P. J. Funnybunny Camps Out
Available from:P. J. Funnybunny plans a camping trip for him and his friends. But when they think they see a ghost, will they be brave enough to stay the night? This Step Into Reading, Level 2 book is the perfect companion for your young reader to gain confidence in their reading skills, all while having fun along the way!
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Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations
Available from:A must-have for any nighttime adventure, whether you are camping or just sitting in your own backyard. This field guide for young stargazers features glow-in-the-dark illustrations of constellations, as well as tips and tricks to help you find them in the night sky.
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Lost in the Wild!
Available from:Comic books are a great way for your little one to get excited about reading. This dinosaur adventure introduces readers to the characters of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous as they go to the most incredible camp in the world, build friendships, and survive the dinosaurs.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2024.