Here are the top 30 bestselling sports & outdoors books for teen & young adults. Please click Read Review to read book reviews on Amazon. You can also click Find in Library to check book availability at your local library. If the default library is not correct, please follow Change Library to reset it.
1. Brian’s Hunt (A Hatchet Adventure)
by: Gary Paulsen Release date: Mar 13, 2012 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
When Brian finds a dog one night, a dog that is wounded and whimpering, he senses danger. The dog is badly hurt, and as Brian cares for it, he worries about his Cree friends who live north of his camp. His instincts tell him to head north, quickly. With his new companion at his side, and with a terrible, growing sense of unease, he sets out to learn what happened. He sets out on the hunt.
2. Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die: Golf Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations
by: Chris Santella Release date: Oct 01, 2005 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
For both passionate golfers and armchair travelers, this gorgeous full-color book presents the world’s greatest golf venues, the personal favorites of renowned players, course architects, and other experts in the sport. From Ballyliffin, Ireland’s northernmost course, whose rumpled fairways wander along the North Sea in the shadows of Glashedy Rock, to New Zealand’s Cape Kidnappers, perched atop dramatic cliffs some 500 feet above the ocean, the book’s beautiful photographs capture the architecture, noteworthy holes, location, and ambiance that make these courses standouts for ardent golfers. A brief history of each course, an experiential account-filled with local color-from the person recommending the venue, and trip-planning advice provide adventurous readers with all the information they need to chip and putt their way around the globe.
A close-up look at golf’s top courses around the world, recommended by such experts as Nick Faldo and Christie Kerr (pro golfers), Pete Dye and Tom Doak (course architects), Brian McCallen (editor and author), and Donald Trump
With breathtaking color photographs of each site, this is a great gift for avid golfers and armchair travelers alike
3. Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die
by: Chris Santella Release date: Jun 01, 2004 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
Through in-depth interviews with the sport’s acknowledged gurus, author Chris Santella goes beyond standard guides to convey the very essence of the recommended locations. Readers can vicariously cast mouse pattners to fifty-pound taimen in the wilds of Mongolia, wrangle with wily permit off the Florida Keys, and match the hatch on Montana’s Armstrong’s Spring Creek. Jardines de la Reina, Cuba (tarpon), the Zhupanova River, Kamchatka (rainbow trout), and the Rio Negro, Brazil (peacock bass) are also included. The essays include a cultural and natural history of each site, along with colorful anecdotes based on the author’s and authorities’ experiences.
With breath-takingly-beautiful photos of the spots, many by celebrated fly-fishing photographer R. Valentine Atkinson, the book also provides adventurous anglers with enough travel-and-tackle information so that they, too, can start planning excursions to go fish around the globe.
4. Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties: The Classic Guide to Building Wilderness Shelters (Dover Books on Architecture)
by: D. C. Beard Release date: Sep 10, 2004 Number of Pages: 256 Find in Library Read Review |
More than 300 of the author’s own illustrations and a clear, easy-to-follow text enable campers to create such lodgings as half-cave shelters, beaver mat huts, birch bark shacks, over-water camps, a Navajo hogan, and a pole house. Additional chapters provide information on how to use an axe, split and notch logs, make a fireplace, and even build appropriate gateways to log houses, game preserves, ranches, and other open areas.
An invaluable book for scouts, campers, hikers, and hunters of all ages, this guide and its fascinating collection of outdoor lore “still has intrinsic value,” said Whole Earth Magazine, and will be of keen interest to any modern homesteader.
5. Woodsong
by: Gary Paulsen Release date: May 08, 2007 Number of Pages: 144 Find in Library Read Review |
Gary Paulsen, three-time Newbery Honor author, is no stranger to adventure. He has flown off the back of a dogsled and down a frozen waterfall to near disaster, and waited for a giant bear to seal his fate with one slap of a claw. He has led a team of sled dogs toward the Alaskan Mountain Range in an Iditarod — the grueling, 1,180-mile dogsled race — hallucinating from lack of sleep, but he determined to finish.
Here, in vivid detail, Paulsen recounts several of the remarkable experiences that shaped his life and inspired his award-winning writing.
A School Library Journal Best Book
A Booklist Editors’ Choice
6. No Summit out of Sight: The True Story of the Youngest Person to Climb the Seven Summits
by: Jordan Romero, Linda LeBlanc Release date: May 12, 2015 Number of Pages: 368 Find in Library Read Review |
On May 22, 2010, at the age of thirteen, American teenager Jordan Romero became the youngest person to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. At fifteen, he became the youngest person to reach the summits of the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents. In this energizing memoir for young adults, Jordan, recounts his experience, which started as a spark of an idea at the age of nine and, many years of training and hard work later, turned into a dream come true.
“The emotional pitch of the story remains high as Romero contends with extreme weather, frustration, exhaustion, and homesickness to reach, with almost palpable exhilaration, each peak” (Publishers Weekly).
7. Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, 2nd Ed.
by: Bruce Tremper Release date: Sep 15, 2008 Number of Pages: 320 Find in Library Read Review |
CLICK HERE to download the sample chapter “Weather” from Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain
* Provides easy-to-follow instructions on crucial avalanche safety skills
* Completely revised with all of the most recent data and techniques
* Ideal for snowmobilers, snowboarders, snowshoers, skiers, climbers, hunters, hikers
“No one who plays in mountain snow should leave home without having studied this book.” -Rocky Mountain News
Winter recreation in the backcountry has increased steadily over the years and so has the number of deaths and injuries caused by avalanches. As search and rescue teams are increasingly strapped for funding, self-education has become a larger necessity for snow-sport enthusiasts. The new edition of Bruce Tremper’s seminal book is organized according to the structure of American Avalanche Association classes and all chapters have been updated and reviewed by peer experts.
8. Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod
by: Gary Paulsen Release date: Feb 17, 1995 Number of Pages: 272 Find in Library Read Review |
9. The Everything Knots Book: Step-By-Step Instructions for Tying Any Knot (Everything Series)
by: Randy Penn Release date: Mar 05, 2004 Number of Pages: 268 Find in Library Read Review |
Simple instructions on how to tie over 100 useful and decorative knots
A well-tied knot is at once a practical tool and a work of art. With names like “hangman’s noose” and “wagoneer’s hitch,” knots have a rich history of usefulness and an aesthetic appeal all their own.
From the boat to the backyard, The Everything Knots Book provides simple instructions on how to tie knots for any situation. Written by Randy Penn, a member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers, this handy guide walks readers through the basics and offers myriad suggestions for creative uses of these knots.
Mr. Penn shows readers how to:
- Choose the right rope and knot for the job
- Tie knots safely and securely
- Create decorative knots for clothing and accessories
- Practice knot-tying through games and exercises
Packed with easy-to-follow instructions and clear illustrations, The Everything Knots Book makes learning this useful skill fun and easy.
10. Go For the Goal: A Champion’s Guide To Winning In Soccer And Life
by: Mia Hamm, Aaron Heifetz Release date: Jul 25, 2000 Number of Pages: 256 Find in Library Read Review |
For the more than seven million girls—from knobby-kneed tykes to high school and college stars—who are tearing across the country chasing a soccer ball and dreams of glory, there is one name that eclipses all others, male or female: Mia Hamm. With her cheetahlike acceleration and lightning-bolt shot, Hamm broke nearly every record in her sport, while galvanizing a whole generation of fans and players.
Go for the Goal is not only the inspiring story of how a tiny suburban sprite became a global terror with a ball (and the world) at her feet—it’s also a step-by-step or dribble-by-dribble guide for any kid with the all-American dream of making the team and becoming a champion.
Filled with personal anecdotes and fully illustrated with both action and instructional photographs, Go for the Goal shows readers exactly how to master the silky skills and techniques that made Hamm and her teammates the finest women’s soccer team in the world.
11. The American Boy’s Handy Book: What to Do and How to Do It, Centennial Edition
by: Daniel Carter Beard, Noel Perrin Release date: Jul 16, 2010 Number of Pages: 468 Find in Library Read Review |
12. Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior
by: Phil Jackson, Hugh Delehanty Release date: Oct 17, 2006 Number of Pages: 240 Find in Library Read Review |
13. Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die: Sailing Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations
by: Chris Santella Release date: May 01, 2007 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
Interviewees include some of the best-known men and women in the sport: Tom Whidden and Gary Jobson (members of the winning 1987 America’s Cup crew), Jeff Johnstone (of J-Boats), award-winning sailing writer Lin Pardy, and many others. The amazingly diverse places they’ve selected range from clubby East Coast ports (Marblehead, Annapolis), to idyllic tropical refuges (Ilha Grande, Brazil; the Polynesian atoll of Mopelia), to some of the most hair-raisingly treacherous waters on earth (Cape Horn).
Coastlines around the world—even Antarctica and the Arctic—are represented, and the chosen spots include some spectacular inland waters, such as the Bras d’Or Lakes and the North Channel of Lake Huron. For each of the 50 places, the sailor recommending the venue spins an entertaining yarn about his or her experience there, and each description is accompanied by a “make you want to go there now” photograph.
14. Planet Golf USA: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses in America
by: Darius Oliver, Ben Crenshaw Release date: Nov 01, 2009 Number of Pages: 416 Find in Library Read Review |
Also available from Darius Oliver: Planet Golf: Modern Masterpieces and Planet Golf.
15. How to Play in the Woods: Activities, Survival Skills, and Games for All Ages
by: Robin Blankenship Release date: Apr 26, 2016 Number of Pages: 304 Find in Library Read Review |
This book is filled with skills, games, and activities for back-to-nature adventures and camping trips. It is great for all ages and abilities, from children to adults, and is a must-have for anyone working with scouts or youth groups. How to Play in the Woods is also a handy reference book for campers and outdoor enthusiasts who need to brush up on basic survival skills.
Learn how to make rope from plant materials, navigate using the sun and/or moon, build shelters, and start a fire. There are activities for teaching about safe knife handling, gathering and preparing wild foods, cooking on a spit, and plant medicines. And, for more fun and entertainment, there are instructions for making instruments, natural jewelry, clay containers, baskets, and even buckskin clothing.
This book encourages and motivates readers to be interactive with nature, to be free from prescribed schedules, and to just play and enjoy outdoors while relearning the wisdom and ways of our ancestors.
Robin Blankenship is the owner of the Earth Knack School and has been teaching primitive skills, sustainable modern life skill courses, and leading wilderness treks since 1978. She is the author of Earth Knack: Stone Age Skills for the 21st Century.
16. Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir
by: Maggie Thrash, Maggie Thrash Release date: Sep 08, 2015 Number of Pages: 272 Find in Library Read Review |
Maggie Thrash has spent basically every summer of her fifteen-year-old life at the one-hundred-year-old Camp Bellflower for Girls, set deep in the heart of Appalachia. She’s from Atlanta, she’s never kissed a guy, she’s into Backstreet Boys in a really deep way, and her long summer days are full of a pleasant, peaceful nothing . . . until one confounding moment. A split-second of innocent physical contact pulls Maggie into a gut-twisting love for an older, wiser, and most surprising of all (at least to Maggie), female counselor named Erin. But Camp Bellflower is an impossible place for a girl to fall in love with another girl, and Maggie’s savant-like proficiency at the camp’s rifle range is the only thing keeping her heart from exploding. When it seems as if Erin maybe feels the same way about Maggie, it’s too much for both Maggie and Camp Bellflower to handle, let alone to understand.
17. We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a true story
by: Josh Sundquist Release date: Jan 19, 2016 Number of Pages: 352 Find in Library Read Review |
18. Happy Horsemanship
by: Dorothy Pinch Release date: Dec 21, 1998 Number of Pages: 182 Find in Library Read Review |
“I am a Horse. My name in Latin is Equus. From this name comes the word ‘equine’ which means something to do with a horse, and the word ‘equestrian,’ which means one who rides a horse.”
With this, Happy Horsemanship starts you and your child on a most wonderful journey. Told from the point of view of the horse, this little gem introduces every aspect of riding and caring for horses—from body to mind, from tack to riding position.
19. The Field and Forest Handy Book: New Ideas for Out of Doors (Nonpareil Book)
by: Daniel Carter Beard, David R. Godine Release date: Aug 01, 2000 Number of Pages: 428 Find in Library Read Review |
There are chapters on packing a horse, on making clothes and moccasins, on camp cooking, on building piers, boats, and sleds. As usual, the directions are clear, the diagrams simple, and the activities seductive. This is an age when the most common phrase one hears from children is “I”m bored.” With this book in hand, you can send them into the smallest woodland plot and be sure they’ll have an activity that will occupy them for hours, as well as projects that are not only fun to do but that actually work.
20. The Pocket Daring Book for Girls: Things to Do
by: Andrea J. Buchanan, Miriam Peskowitz Release date: May 06, 2008 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
A portable, pocket-sized take on the bestselling phenomenon,The Daring Book for Girls, this book is filled with many favorite activities from the original, plus some exciting new games, crafts, and projects. Whether following tips for riding a skateboard, learning how to run faster, or making a skirt out of a pillowcase, the most daring of girls will be occupied all season long.
The Pocket Daring Book for Girls: Things to Do also includes the long-awaited chapter, “Make Your Own Zip Line,” along with classic instructions for activities like Fourteen Games of Tag, Marco Polo, How to Be a Spy, Washing the Car and Building a Campfire. It would be remiss not to mention that the book teaches girls a skill not found in the original DARING BOOK FOR GIRLS, namely, how to make a fifteen-foot backyard geyser from a concoction of Mentos and Diet Coke, and that the book holds the definitive answer to the age-old question, Can you really fry an egg on the sidewalk?
Join girls everywhere who are pursuing these delightful activities and living out the Daring Girls credo: Enjoy yourself. Learn new things. Lead an Interesting Life.
21. This Happened to Me!: A Graphic Collection of True Adventure Tales
by: Andrew McKean Release date: Sep 03, 2013 Number of Pages: 192 Find in Library Read Review |
Blood-dripping fangs, man-eating sharks, gun-toting bad guys and relentless tornados are just the beginning. This book collects the best of Outdoor Life‘s reader-submitted death-defying adventures and adds some new illustrations never before published anywhere else. Is every word of this true? How could you possibly doubt the stories of a man who punched a bloodthirsty bear in the face, or a woman who saved her baby from a vicious snake with a lasso and an axe? If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if you strayed off the trail, dove into shark-infested waters, blew up your campsite, or had to ride out a monsoon in a rowboat, this book shows you in absolutely fantastic detail.
Selected stories include:
-Trapped in a Canyon
-Blown Off the Mountain!
-The Alaskan Tent Trample
-One Mad Mama
-Louisiana Gator Trap
-One Last Breath
22. Skater Girl: A Girl’s Guide to Skateboarding
by: Patty Segovia, Rebecca Heller Release date: Dec 15, 2006 Number of Pages: 144 Find in Library Read Review |
From lingo and board facts to fashion advice and flatout, including “The Top 10 Reasons Why Skateboarding Rocks,” this book gives girls the lowdown on all the need-to-know stuff.
Of course, the authors get serious with the riding. Step-by-step photos show new girls all the basics, including getting on the board, proper riding form, simple turns and safe stops. As readers advance, the authors teach tricks like ollies, grinds and flips, as well as advanced techniques for riding at a skate park on big ramps, hot wheel loops, full pipes, quarter pipes, boxes, and a rail.
23. Appaloosa Summer (Island Trilogy) (Volume 1)
by: Tudor Robins Release date: Jun 05, 2014 Number of Pages: 246 Find in Library Read Review |
24. Statistical Reasoning in Sports
by: Josh Tabor, Chris Franklin Release date: Dec 23, 2011 Number of Pages: 656 Find in Library Read Review |
25. Conquistadors of the Useless
by: Lionel Terray Release date: Sep 16, 2008 Number of Pages: 372 Find in Library Read Review |
“If my library was to somehow catch fire and I could only save one book, the long out of print Conquistadors of the Useless, by Lionel Terray, would be it.” — Explore magazine
“The finest mountaineering narrative ever written.” — David Roberts, author of Mountain of My Fear
* One of National Geographic Adventure’s “100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time”
* The story of ground-breaking climbs told with insight and wit
* A mountaineering classic brought back into print
Frenchman Lionel Terray is one of mountaineering history’s greatest alpinists, and his autobiography, Conquistadors of the Useless, stands among the “100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time”, according to National Geographic Adventure magazine. Following World War II, when France desperately needed successes to heal its wounds, Terray emerged as a national hero, conquering summits atop the planet’s highest mountains.
This biography of Lionel Terry is filled with first-time feats and acts of bravery in the face of unspeakable odds. He climbed with legends such as Maurice Herzog, Gaston Rebuffat, and Louis Lachenal. He made first ascents in the Alps, Alaska, the Andes, and the Himalaya. Terray’s gripping story captures the energy of an optimistic world shaking off the restraints of war and austerity. It’s a mountaineering classic.
26. Planet Golf: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses Outside the United States of America
by: Darius Oliver, David Scaletti Release date: Oct 01, 2007 Number of Pages: 416 Find in Library Read Review |
Featuring courses in more than twenty countries, from the famous links of Scotland and Ireland to the leading Heathland and Sandbelt classics of England and Australia, and from the hidden gems of France, New Zealand, and Japan to the best within the rest of Europe, Africa, North and Central America, Australia, and Asia, Planet Golf is the definitive reference to the greatest golf courses available outside the United States.
27. Frenzy
by: Robert Lettrick Release date: Apr 14, 2015 Number of Pages: 320 Find in Library Read Review |
28. I Have a Bad Feeling About This
by: Jeff Strand Release date: Mar 01, 2014 Number of Pages: 256 Find in Library Read Review |
Wilderness Survival Tip #1
Drinking your own sweat will not save your life. Somebody might have told you that, but they were trying to find out if you’d really do it.
Henry Lambert would rather play video games than spend time in the great outdoors?but that doesn’t make him a wuss. Skinny nerd? Fine. But wuss is a little harsh. Sadly, his dad doesn’t agree. Which is why Henry is being shipped off to Strongwoods Survival Camp.
Strongwoods isn’t exactly as advertised. It looks like the victim of a zombie apocalypse, the “camp director” is a psycho drill sergeant, and Henry’s sure he saw a sign written in blood…
Wilderness Survival Tip #2
In case of an avalanche, don’t despair. You’re doomed, but that’s a wicked cool death.
Wilderness Survival Tip #3
If you’re relying on this book for actual survival tips, you’re dead already.
Praise for Jeff Strand’s A Bad Day For Voodoo:
“A delightfully ludicrous read.”?School Library Journal
“Just the thing for teen wiseacres.”?Booklist
“[A] free-wheeling dark comedy that starts off running and doesn’t stop until all plausibility is exhausted. Sam Raimi fans should eat it up.”?Publishers Weekly
29. The Traditional Bowyer’s Bible, Volume 4
by: Jim Hamm Release date: Apr 01, 2008 Number of Pages: 320 Find in Library Read Review |
30. Sports Illustrated: Brett Favre: The Tribute
by: Sports Illustrated Release date: Mar 27, 2008 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
Best Selling Books for teen & young adults:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Technology
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports & Outdoors
Recommended Books for teen & young adults:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Technology
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports & Outdoors
Best Selling Sports & Outdoors Books for:
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
- 3 Year Olds
Recommended Sports & Outdoors Books for:
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
- 3 Year Olds
Last updated: Monday, December 5, 2016 10:22 AM