Smokey Bear Reading Challenge 2024

Celebrate Smokey’s 80th Birthday by joining the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge and engage youth in reading about wildfire prevention, forests, and natural resource careers while they explore their local environment. This list are books for children and are available through the Sussex County Library System.

Updated July 25, 2024
S
Sussex County Library System (NJ)
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Redwoods
Paper Book
Jason Chin's Redwoods tells the story of a boy who discovers a book about redwoods and finds himself in their midst as he turns the pages. An ordinary train ride becomes and extraordinary trip to the great ancient forests. A subway trip is transformed when a...
Where's Rodney? /
Bogan, Carmen,
Paper Book
A Black boy's transformative day out in nature, recommended by Social Justice Books and We Are Kid Lit Collective Rodney is that kid who just can't sit still. He's inside, but he wants to be outside. Outside is where Rodney always wants to be. Between school and home, there is a...
Controlled burn /
Downing, Erin Soderberg
Paper Book
A MIBA bestseller 2024-2025 Nebraska Golden Sower Award Nominee 2024-2025 South Carolina Book Award Nominee 2023 Northeastern Minnesota Book Award Winner From bestselling author, Erin Soderberg Downing, Controlled Burn is a story...
Forests /
French, Jess
Paper Book
Nature all around :
Hickman, Pamela
Paper Book
This comprehensive and beautifully illustrated introduction to trees and the important role they play is part of the essential Nature All Around series. The book first explores the parts of trees, their life cycles, the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees, leaf types and the processes...
Listen to the language of the trees :
Kelley, Tera,
Paper Book
This captivating book explores the real connection and communication that runs underground between trees in the forest. The well-researched details about trees' own social network will help readers see that the natural world's survival depends on staying connected and helping others--just like us...
Over and under the rainforest
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Award-winning duo Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal take readers on a thrilling tour of one of the most diverse ecosystems on planet earth: the rainforests of Central America. Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the...
Over and under the snow /
Messner, Kate.
Paper Book
Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow exists a secret kingdom of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals that live through the winter safe and warm, awake and busy, under the snow. Discover the wonder and activity that lies beneath winter's...
Up in the garden and down in the dirt /
Messner, Kate.
Paper Book
In this exuberant and lyrical addition to the award-winning Over and Under series, emerging readers will delight in discovering the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves, and down in the dirt. From the author-illustrator team behind...
Wildfire
Morrison, Taylor.
Paper Book
Every summer, wildfires spread through the forests of the western United States, threatening homes and entire communities in their paths. Hundreds of firefighters work tirelessly to control this extremely powerful and unpredictable force of nature. But despite the seemingly devastating effects of...
They hold the line :
Paley, Dan,
Paper Book
A 2023 Chicago Public Library Best Book  A tribute to the unsung heroes of firefighting that takes readers along on a high-stakes mission to battle one of the deadliest natural disasters. A lone figure stands on...
Hiking day
Rockwell, Anne
Paper Book
Beloved author Anne Rockwell celebrates nature and the outdoors with a gorgeous new picture book about a child's first mountain hike! A young girl and her family go hiking up a nearby mountain for the very first time. As they climb up and up the path, they see everything from a...
Treecology :
Russo, Monica,
Paper Book
National Outdoor Book Award Honorable Mention in the Children's category 2017 Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (National Science Teachers Association - Children's Book Council) Finalist for the 2017 AAAS / Subaru SB&F Excellence in...
Fraser the forest ranger /
Schufman, Matthew,
Paper Book
Fraser the Forest Ranger is on a mission- to find one true friend. He searches far and wide, but he might just discover a best friend is closer than he thinks. Fraser is a Forest Ranger and he loves his job. He checks on the trees, he checks on the animals, and he always ends his...

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