Nature & Outdoors in Kansas

April 2026 Adult Book List

Adult Spotlight

Kansas Trail Guide by Jonathan M. Conard; Kristin M. Conard
This guide to Kansas trails offers maps, GPS coordinates, and route details, highlighting history, wildlife, and the best paths for outdoor exploration.
The Last Wild Places of Kansas by George Frazier
Documenting three years exploring Kansas, this travelogue uncovers the state’s hidden prairies, forests, wetlands, and wildlife, highlighting the resilient remnants of wild America and those who preserve them.
The Kansas Guidebook 2 by Marci Penner; WenDee Rowe
Authos hit the road for four years to look in every one of the 626 incorporated towns and cities and in hundreds of other dots on the map and countryside locations. They looked for architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history, and people wherever they went. Five hundred Kansas towns are included in this guide.
Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds by Michael John Haddock; Craig C. Freeman; Janét E. Bare
This guide to Kansas wildflowers and weeds covers 1,163 species with up-to-date descriptions, habitats, and 742 color photos for identification, study, and enjoyment.
Petroglyphs of the Kansas Smoky Hills by Rex Buchanan; Burke Griggs
Showcases little-known Native American carvings found in the state's soft sandstone, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of the region’s early inhabitants. Through photographs and informative captions, the book documents fourteen central Kansas sites, exploring the historical, cultural, and environmental context of these endangered markings while respecting the privacy of landowners.

Additional Adult Titles

And Hell Followed With It: Life and Death in a Kansas Tornado, Bonar Menninger
8 Wonders of Kansas Guidebook, Marci Penner
Elevations: A Personal Exploration of the Arkansas River, Max McCoy
Field Guide to the Common Grasses of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, Iralee Barnard
The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots, Bob Gress and Pete Janzen
The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers, Marci Penner
A New Guide to Kansas Mushrooms, Sherry Kay, Benjamin Sikes, and Caleb Morse
Oceans of Kansas: A Natural History of the Western Interior Sea, Michael J. Everhart
Roadside Geology of Kansas, James S Aber, Susan E. W. Aber, and Michael J. Everhart
Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas: A Field Guide, Michael John Haddock

April 2026 Youth Booklist

Youth Spotlight

Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm by Lindsay H. Metcalf; Xin Li (Illustrator)
This vibrant rhyming picture book shows how food is grown sustainably both outdoors and indoors, following two children as they explore farms, machinery, and innovative growing techniques.
Ava: A Year of Adventure in the Life of an American Avocet by Mandy Kern; Onalee Nicklin (Illustrator)
This story follows Ava, an American Avocet, on her 1,000-mile migration to Cheyenne Bottoms in Kansas, introducing readers to one of the planet’s most biodiverse wetlands and the wildlife that rely on it.
A Kansas Bestiary by Jake Vail; Doug Hitt; Lisa Grossman (Illustrator)
A Kansas Bestiary explores the animals of Kansas, both real and legendary, blending natural history, folklore, and vibrant illustrations to bring the state’s wildlife and stories to life.

Kansas Library Directory

Visit Your Public Library
Provides a directory of Kansas public libraries where you can find titles from this month's reading list or request a book through interlibrary loan.

Library Programming Ideas

Invite a Master Gardener to present a program
Partner with Audubon of Kansas
Partner with K-State Research and Extension
Use live cams to showcase birds and other animals via Explore.org and National Audubon Society

Kansas 250 Commission Activity Recommendations

Merlin Bird ID app by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Merlin features the best of community contributed photos, songs, and calls, tips from experts around the world to help you ID the birds you see.

Other Statewide Events or Activities

Get out on a Kansas trail
Go to a State Park
Kansas Events
Visit Baker Wetlands & Discovery Center
927 acres of rich, natural wildlife, creating one of the most diverse habitats in Kansas.
1365 N 1250 Road, Lawrence KS 66046
Visit Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area
41,000 acres in central Kansas, the largest wetland in the interior United States and a critical migration stopping point for millions of birds.
204 NE 60 Road, Great Bend KS 67530
Visit Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
22,135 acres featuring a unique combination of rare inland salt marsh and sand prairie.
1434 NE 80th Street, Stafford KS 67578
Fifth Annual Kansas Lek Treks Prairie-Chicken Festival
April 9-12, 2026 in Hays, Kansas

-- More to Come --

As Kansas and America 250 events, exhibits and ideas grow, this page will as well.