Introduction
I have been an outdoor enthusiast for much of my life. Much of this is grounded in the fact that I attended
summer camp for several years during my
childhood and
youth. Hardly a place to play
video games and eat
pizza, it was a quite
rustic experience, where we slept outdoors, where
electronic devices were prohibited, and where the swimming pool and
bath houses made up the bulk of any
modern amenities to which we had access.
Through these
experiences, I learned to enjoy the outdoors a great deal. Furthermore -- and maybe I'm just a
dirty hippie -- but I truly believe that camps provide the basic,
raw materials for turning people into better neighbors and
teammates. These things said, one of the things I enjoyed most about my experience as a camper was the
meager but quality selections of
literature provided by the camp itself. During
downtimes, we were often encouraged to pick up a book while we recharged our physical
batteries. Looking back, I have since realised what a
great idea this was; regardless of whether a camp is fully outdoors, or if it consists of fully
air-conditioned cabins and
dining halls, it's good to give campers something to dig into that
reinforces the ideals learned in the outdoors.
Selection Process
When creating this list, I looked for books that had various specific
emphases. Furthermore, while some of the selections below may be more focused on one particular aim, all of them tend to be
socially progressive to one degree or another.
Admittedly, there is a moderate
slant towards ones that I read when I was at camp, but it doesn't include all of them, nor is the list
exclusive of others. I encourage others to add to this node and supplement this list, as I will continue to do the same. Furthermore, I am aware that some of these could be classified across categories. Opinions on how things have been categorized are welcome, as well.
Book List, with Commentary
(note: I have included the author's name, when possible)
Nature and the Environment
Audubon field guides --
High quality colour photo guides to plants and animals. Expensive.
The Lorax (
Dr. Seuss) --
A classic, somewhat serious book, by the wise old Dr. Seuss that deals with environmental issues.
Society and Culture
The Giving Tree (
Shel Silverstein) --
A lesser known, but nonetheless quality story on selflessness.
Touch the Earth (ed.,
T.C. McLuhan) --
A collection of stories, excerpts, poems and photos that tell the story of then Native Americans' ongoing struggle to exist. Perhaps not in print anymore, hard to find.
Walden (
Henry David Thoreau) --
Thoreau's classic study. Suitable for older youth.
Growing Up
Once a Scout and
Trailing the Eagle (Bill Young) --
While these two have an obvious bias towards Boy Scouting, they nonetheless tell the true stories and adventures of a boy growing up, with plenty of camping tales interspersed. May be hard to find.
Fiction: Novels
Where the Red Fern Grows (
Wilson Rawls) --
The classic childhood novel about a boy from the Ozarks and his two dogs.
Fiction: Short Stories
Grandfather Tales and
Jack Tales (ed.,
Richard Chase) --
Two excellent collections of Appalachian folklore
Tajar Tales (
Jane Shaw Ward) --
Short stories about a mischievous little forest creature.
The Velveteen Rabbit (
Margery Williams) --
Suitable for younger children, story of a toy bunny who wants to be real.
Religious/Spiritual, if desired
The Tao of Pooh (
Benjamin Hoff) --
A primer on Taoism, as explained using Winnie the Pooh as an example.
The Way of the Wolf (
Martin Bell) --
Gospel stories, without all the associated stigma, told using allegorical tales of forest animals.