I am a huge fan of the older classics. I get the movies and the audio books so I can introduce my kids to them. There are a great many that talk about survival skills and pre-modern technology and techniques. They are great entertainment and introduce people to some good information. Just in case someone here may not have heard of them, here are some titles that are good for the kids, my kids loved them:

My side of the Mountain

Call it Courage

Island of the Blue Dolphins