Campfire Stories Collection
Campfire Stories Books - Volume I & II
Our national parks are beautiful and unique places, often serving as an introduction to the outdoors and inspiring an appreciation for nature and wilderness. Similarly, stories and storytelling can serve as an introduction to other places and foster a powerful emotional connection to nature. Campfire Stories brings together tales about our national parks; some are by well-known writers such as John Muir, Bill Bryson, and Terry Tempest Williams, while others are from pioneer diaries or have been passed down through generations of indigenous peoples.
Co-editors Dave Kyu and Ilyssa Kyu spent six months traveling and researching the stories collected here. They gathered the best materials from public libraries, historical societies, arts and cultural organizations, museums, research centers, and national park archives. Park rangers, historians, artists, curators, educators, and local residents all offered guidance and suggestions. The goal was to discover entertaining, diverse, and engaging writings that reflect each park’s essence—as well as just fun to share.
Campfire Stories focuses on these six iconic national parks:
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Campfire Stories: Volume II focuses on these seven iconic national parks and scenic trails:
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Campfire Stories Decks
The Campfire Stories Deck is a collection of 50 cards with storytelling prompts to help people of all ages find engaging and meaningful ways to connect with family and friends.
The Campfire Stories Deck--for Kids! is an easy storytelling game full of cute characters and intriguing scenarios. To play, young players pick one card from each set and then use the prompts to make up a story.
Tales & Travel Companions
Ignite a sense of wonder and discover a deeper appreciation of place through storytelling.
Expanding on the bestselling Campfire Stories volumes, which feature shareable tales from our national parks, this new series from Ilyssa and Dave Kyu immerses readers in the storytelling endemic to America’s beloved natural spaces, offering unique tours through diverse histories, lore, and landscapes.
These curated story collections explore the rich and diverse legacies of America's beloved natural spaces. Each collection also includes:
- Local recommendations for outdoor exploration, select cultural activities, camping options, gateway towns, and more
- "How to Visit Well" and "Community Resources" sections offer tips on sustainable travel while highlighting cultural, Indigenous, and conservation organizations
Coming Fall 2025: The Redwood Coast, The San Juan Islands, Santa Fe & Taos
shop the collection

Campfire Stories: Cape Cod: Tales & Travel Companion
Ignite a sense of wonder and discover a deeper appreciation of place through storytelling

Campfire Stories: The Adirondacks: Tales & Travel Companion
Ignite a sense of wonder and discover a deeper appreciation of place through storytelling

Campfire Stories: Chesapeake Bay: Tales & Travel Companion
Ignite a sense of wonder and discover a deeper appreciation of place through storytelling

Campfire Stories Deck – For Kids!: Storytelling Games to Ignite Imagination
Kid-friendly, create-a-story deck with prompts to inspire fun and games, imagination, and colorful campfire memories for the entire family

Campfire Stories Volume II: Tales from America’s National Parks and Trails
New volume of intimate, compelling, and diverse tales about our national parks, from the creators of the bestselling book Campfire Stories

Campfire Stories Deck: Prompts for Igniting Stories by the Fire
Connection to community, sense of place, and love of adventure--all live inside a good story

Campfire Stories: Tales from America's National Parks
"If you want a chunk of quick reads, Dave and Ilyssa Kyu have compiled writings by diverse voices about [six] different national parks that are perfect for telling out loud. The snack-sized readings in Campfire Stories include Terry Tempest Williams’ musings about Zion, Isabella Bird’s letters to her sister after becoming the first woman to climb Colorado’s Longs Peak, and Wabanaki poems about Acadia. It’s a great summer skimmer." -Outside Online