Smokey the Bear Reading Challenge

Read books from this list to earn a badge in the Smokey the Bear Reading Challenge.

Updated March 18, 2024
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The wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
Now a DreamWorks movie! This #1 New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from a Caldecott Honor winner tells an extraordinary story full of action and thought-provoking questions as a robot learns to survive--and live--in the wilderness....
Time to roar
Cole, Olivia A.
Paper Book
This powerful picture book shows the importance of raising your own strong voice to defend what you love. Sasha the bear loves the meadow in her forest more than anything. But when great yellow beasts threaten to cut and burn the forest, Sasha and the other animals must find a...
The hike
Farrell, Alison
Paper Book
Snacks, supplies, and a dog. What more do you need for an epic adventure? In this plucky, sweet story, three intrepid young female explorers set out to conquer their local forest. The well-written, empowering narrative takes us on a local quest across a river, through the trees, and up a mountain,...
Two degrees
Gratz, Alan
Paper Book
The instant #1 New York Times bestseller! #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz (Refugee; Ground Zero) is back, tackling the urgent topic of climate change in this breathtaking, action-packed novel that will keep readers turning pages while making...
Stand as tall as the trees : how an Amazonian community protected the rain forest
Gualinga, Patricia
Paper Book
An inspiring true story about how an activist in the Amazon worked with other Indigenous communities to protect and preserve their sacred lands and forests. Patricia (Paty) Gualinga grew up in her Kichwa village in the Amazon of Ecuador where mystical beings called Amazanga help...
Bringing back the wolves : how a predator restored an ecosystem
Isabella, Jude
Paper Book
An unintended experiment in Yellowstone National Park, in which an ecosystem is devastated and then remarkably rehabilitated, provides crucial lessons about nature's intricate balancing act. In the 1800s, hunters were paid by the American government to eliminate threats to livestock on...
Stand up! Speak up! : a story inspired by the Climate Change Revolution
Joyner, Andrew (Illustrator)
Paper Book
Awarded as a 2021 Malka Penn Award Honor Book, here is a timely picture book about a young girl's mission to inspire others to help the planet. The meaningful message of climate change activism is perfect for Earth Day and every day! Celebrate young climate change activists in...
Rainbow the koala
Lai, Remy
Paper Book
Planet Earth meets Narwhal and Jelly in this funny and suspenseful early reader graphic novel series featuring heroic animals surviving in the perilous wilderness! Inspired by true events, the book includes facts about climate change, koalas, and how kids can help protect the...
Sticks and stones : a kid's guide to building and exploring in the great outdoors
Lennig, Melissa
Paper Book
The essential resource for every junior outdoor adventurer.
The camping trip
Mann, Jennifer K.
Paper Book
Ernestine has never been camping before, but she's sure it will be lots of fun . . . won't it? An endearing story about a girl's first experience with the great outdoors. My aunt Jackie invited me to go camping with her and my cousin Samantha this weekend. I've never been...
We will live in this forest again
Marino, Gianna
Paper Book
When wildfires consume their forest home, the animals must flee--but as the flames subside, they return and look to new beginnings . . . At first, they didn't notice the spark flying above the dry treetops. But then the smoke blew from the north, and the flames began...
Our planet! : there's no place like Earth
McAnulty, Stacy
Paper Book
From writer Stacy McAnulty and illustrator David Litchfield, Our Planet! There's No Place Like Earth is a nonfiction picture book about the Earth, told from the perspective of Earth herself. Meet Earth. Planet Awesome! And your awesome home! Actually, Earth is home to...
Over and under the canyon
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
In this latest book in the acclaimed Over and Under series, a spectacular hike reveals the hidden wonders, rich colors, and layers of wildlife living within a thriving desert slot-canyon. Over and Under the Canyon takes young readers on a thrilling tour of a...
Over and under the pond
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
A follow up to Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, this time focusing on the rich, interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. As parent and child launch a canoe from the muddy shore and paddle through water lilies, they see...
Over and under the rainforest
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
In this latest follow-up to the critically acclaimed Over and Under series (Over and Under the Snow, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, Over and Under the Pond), the award-winning author and illustrator team of Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal takes...
Little Smokey
Neubecker, Robert
Paper Book
For a brave firefighting airplane, the sky's the limit! This timeless story of teamwork and determination is perfect for kids who loved The Little Engine That Could and shows how even unlikely heroes can help their community in times of need. When forest fires blaze, the...
They hold the line : wildfires, wildlands, and the firefighters who brave them
Paley, Dan
Paper 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 a tower, watching and waiting. Lightning strikes. Tree bark sparks. A wisp of white smoke rises in the distance. It is time...
Wildfire : a novel
Philbrick, W. R.
Paper Book
Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick sends readers straight into the nightmare of a raging wildfire as 12-year-old Sam is trapped by explosive flames and deadly smoke that threaten to take his life. Can he survive?Flames race toward Sam Castine's summer camp as evacuation buses are loading,...
Hiking day
Rockwell, Anne F.
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...
Because of an acorn
Schaefer, Lola M.
Paper Book
Because of an acorn, a tree grows, a bird nests, a seed becomes a flower. Enchanting die-cuts illustrate the vital connections between the layers of an ecosystem in this magical book. Wander down the forest path to learn how every tree, flower, plant, and animal connect to one...
I survived the California wildfires, 2018
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
California continues to be ravaged by devastating wildfires. Lauren Tarshis's heart pounding story tells of two children who battle the terrifying flames and -- despite the destruction -- find hope in the ashes.The people of Northern California were used to living with the threat of wildfires. But...
Survivor girl
Teagan, Erin
Paper Book
In this funny, action-packed middle grade novel from the author of the American Girl Luciana books, Alison gets invited to be on her dad's reality show, Survivor Guy, and faces important realities about her family, self-reliance, and learning to work together with friends.  ...
Extreme wildfire : smoke jumpers, high-tech gear, survival tactics, and the extraordinary science of fire
Thiessen, Mark (Photographer)
Paper Book
Inonemoment,there'sasimplespark,andthenroaringflamessurge200 feetintotheair, devouring forests. Trees, fromroottocanopy,areburnedtothe ground.Airtankersand helicopters hover above, executing an airattack.Brave firefighters,equipped with flame resistant suits, leap from helicoptersontothe...

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