Since reading aloud is one of the best things kids and grownups can do together, we send out a new story or chapter free each week. Don’t worry if you miss one! Complete stories are always available on our storyblog.

Hi, <<First Name>>.

It’s Jeff, one of the co-founders of 320 Sycamore Studios. (I’m the one who gets to write the stories.)

Last weekend I was lucky enough to spend a few hours with several of my dearest friends in the world. It was the first time we’d been together in several years, but we fell instantly into an easy, socially distanced affection.

It was, simply, a nourishing afternoon spent with people I love.

As I drove home, I thought of the line from John Green’s novel “The Fault in Our Stars” where one of the characters says, “Sometimes the universe wants to be noticed.”

In this heavy year, I hope you’re finding, and noticing, and drawing sustenance from, your own moments of connection.

My to-read pile is absurd (and that’s okay)

I’m off to a working/writing/hiking retreat later this week. I’ll be gone for a few months so I’m bringing some books.

Red Riding Hood as an adorable zombie

If you missed it, last week we shared the first part (of 3) of our middle-reader story “Scar and the Wolf.” Scarlet Bone is a fashion-conscious zombie girl who’s turning 13 and is about to have the worst and best day of her, um, life.

You still have time to “Tomb” for Halloween

Bedtime is undead-time in “Goodnight Tomb,” an irreverent, warm-hearted story that will have kids giggling, saying “eww,” and then asking you to read it again.

As one reader said, it’s “Perfect for lovers of ‘Goodnight Moon,’ zombie fans, and anyone who is sick of 2020 and needs a good belly laugh!”