10 books you can just read for free

February 22, 2022

320 Sycamore Studios is a different kind of children’s book publisher. We share serialized stories via our weekly newsletter and offer free PDF versions of all the books we sell. Enjoy!
Heya <<First Name>>,

Every three months or so I like to check in and remind you that you can read all our books for free. 

Even our new one, “Scar and the Wolf.” It’s a middle-reader novel that retells “Little Red Riding Hood” from the perspective of a lovable zombie girl turning 13. 

And if you’ve already read all our books, we have an AMAZING book-recommendations page with more than 300 titles. Check it out

Happy reading!

Jeff and Bob …
… who believe that reading with kids can change the world for the better
 


The one with a zombie, a haggis, and a Jimmy Buffet Easter egg

Book cover: Scar and the WolfSummary: Scarlet Bone is a zombie who’s just turned 13 and her “gift” from her parents is not the oh-so-fashionable cape she craves, but a job to do! So begins an adventure that will see Scarlet gain friends, make enemies, meet a stylish wolf, and take a journey to her grandma’s house for an encounter with something really scary: growing up. 

Style: Irreverently zombified Grimm.

Perfect for: Teaching children life lessons AND grossing them out (in the best way). 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.

 


The one where we anagram “Albuquerque” (and 300 other places)

"The United States of Anagram" book cover.Summary: America is a land of anagrams — like RHINO SADDLE (“Rhode Island”), LET’S EAT (“Seattle”), and TERRIFIED OF PETS (“Petrified Forest”). Some are surprising, some are sublime, and some are just silly. But when you put them all together, you start to see the country in a whole new way. 

Style: A road atlas run through a word blender.

Perfect for: Keeping road trips lively … or teaching state capitals to the geography-averse. 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with gratitude for underloved things, like awkward people’s awkward hugs

Book cover -- Messy BlessingsSummary: “Messy Blessings” is a celebration of the uncute and underloved things in the world. It’s also about how great life feels when you realize just how much there is to be thankful for. Like morning breath and awkward hugs and laughing till you fart.

Style: Irreverent, heartfelt rhymes.

Perfect for: Practicing gratitude and silliness at the same time.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with a poem about an adorable maggot 

Book Cover: Ooh Odd ZooSummary: Here’s to the axolotls, the jerboas, and the yapoks! “Ooh Odd Zoo” is a delightful, irreverent ABC book about the oddballs of the animal kingdom.

Style: Dr. Seuss meets Shel Silverstein.

Perfect for: People who love odd animals, irreverence, and made-up words, like “fartle.” So … everybody, basically.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with the meandering fox

Summary: Did you know there was another animal in the race between Tortoise and Hare? It was Fox.

In the old days, Foxes were known for one thing: going in straight lines.

But this fox was different — she couldn’t stop meandering. 

Style: Longer Aesop.

Perfect for: Embracing detours. 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.


The one where the words ARE the pictures

Book Cover: Word ThingsSummary: Balloons. … Trapeze. … Bookshelf. … Accordion Bus. …

They’re words you’ve seen all your life.  Are you ready to see them in an entirely new way? 

Style: Words that look like the things they describe.

Perfect for: Anyone who loved the book “CDB” as a kid. 

Or people who love their books in black-and-white.

Or minimalists. 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The bedtime story with zombies

Book Cover: Goodnight TombSummary: Bedtime is undead-time.

This irreverent, warm-hearted, slightly gross story will (hopefully) have your kids giggling, saying “eww,” and then asking you to read it again.

Style: Edward Gorey does “Goodnight Moon.” 

Perfect for: Any kid with a slightly macabre sense of humor. Also: any grownup who can’t read another Margaret Wise Brown book tonight.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.


The one with the cool-grandmother protagonist 

Book Cover: The Island of Slippery SoulsSummary: Life was peaceful on the Island of Slippery Souls until greedy King Clench built a machine to gather them all up. Now, only one person can stop his terrible plan, a woman who  would really rather be gardening.

Style: Irreverent fantasy.

Perfect for: Kids who like irreverent fantasy chapter books. And cool grandmothers.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.


The sad one with the great illustrations 

Book Cover: The Man Who Walked in SaltSummary: From the time they were small, Po and Esperanza were best friends. But then something happened that wasn’t supposed to, something that changed Po’s life. This is the story of how you can get lost, and then get found again if you don’t lose hope.

Style: Melancholy parable.

Perfect for: People trying to carry on after a loss. (To be honest, there’s not much of a market for this book, but it’s beautifully illustrated and I’m really proud of it.)

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with all the U’s

Book Cover: I Love USummary: Too long unsung, it’s time U got what U deserved: a book all its own. So let’s celebrate used unicycles, unforgettable underwear, ugly unicorns, and lots more! Let’s celebrate U, the alphabet’s ultimate underdog. U will be glad you did.

Style: Super-simple picture book.

Perfect for: Valentine’s Day.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 

Heya <<First Name>>,

Every three months or so I like to check in and remind you that you can read all our books for free. 

Even our new one, “Scar and the Wolf.” It’s a middle-reader novel that retells “Little Red Riding Hood” from the perspective of a lovable zombie girl turning 13. 

And if you’ve already read all our books, we have an AMAZING book-recommendations page with more than 300 titles. Check it out

Happy reading!

Jeff and Bob …
… who believe that reading with kids can change the world for the better
 


The one with a zombie, a haggis, and a Jimmy Buffet Easter egg

Book cover: Scar and the WolfSummary: Scarlet Bone is a zombie who’s just turned 13 and her “gift” from her parents is not the oh-so-fashionable cape she craves, but a job to do! So begins an adventure that will see Scarlet gain friends, make enemies, meet a stylish wolf, and take a journey to her grandma’s house for an encounter with something really scary: growing up. 

Style: Irreverently zombified Grimm.

Perfect for: Teaching children life lessons AND grossing them out (in the best way). 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one where we anagram “Albuquerque” (and 300 other places)

"The United States of Anagram" book cover.Summary: America is a land of anagrams — like RHINO SADDLE (“Rhode Island”), LET’S EAT (“Seattle”), and TERRIFIED OF PETS (“Petrified Forest”). Some are surprising, some are sublime, and some are just silly. But when you put them all together, you start to see the country in a whole new way. 

Style: A road atlas run through a word blender.

Perfect for: Keeping road trips lively … or teaching state capitals to the geography-averse. 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with gratitude for underloved things, like awkward people’s awkward hugs

Book cover -- Messy BlessingsSummary: “Messy Blessings” is a celebration of the uncute and underloved things in the world. It’s also about how great life feels when you realize just how much there is to be thankful for. Like morning breath and awkward hugs and laughing till you fart.

Style: Irreverent, heartfelt rhymes.

Perfect for: Practicing gratitude and silliness at the same time.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with a poem about an adorable maggot 

Book Cover: Ooh Odd ZooSummary: Here’s to the axolotls, the jerboas, and the yapoks! “Ooh Odd Zoo” is a delightful, irreverent ABC book about the oddballs of the animal kingdom.

Style: Dr. Seuss meets Shel Silverstein.

Perfect for: People who love odd animals, irreverence, and made-up words, like “fartle.” So … everybody, basically.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with the meandering fox

Summary: Did you know there was another animal in the race between Tortoise and Hare? It was Fox.

In the old days, Foxes were known for one thing: going in straight lines.

But this fox was different — she couldn’t stop meandering. 

Style: Longer Aesop.

Perfect for: Embracing detours. 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.


The one where the words ARE the pictures

Book Cover: Word ThingsSummary: Balloons. … Trapeze. … Bookshelf. … Accordion Bus. …

They’re words you’ve seen all your life.  Are you ready to see them in an entirely new way? 

Style: Words that look like the things they describe.

Perfect for: Anyone who loved the book “CDB” as a kid. 

Or people who love their books in black-and-white.

Or minimalists. 

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The bedtime story with zombies

Book Cover: Goodnight TombSummary: Bedtime is undead-time.

This irreverent, warm-hearted, slightly gross story will (hopefully) have your kids giggling, saying “eww,” and then asking you to read it again.

Style: Edward Gorey does “Goodnight Moon.” 

Perfect for: Any kid with a slightly macabre sense of humor. Also: any grownup who can’t read another Margaret Wise Brown book tonight.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.


The one with the cool-grandmother protagonist 

Book Cover: The Island of Slippery SoulsSummary: Life was peaceful on the Island of Slippery Souls until greedy King Clench built a machine to gather them all up. Now, only one person can stop his terrible plan, a woman who  would really rather be gardening.

Style: Irreverent fantasy.

Perfect for: Kids who like irreverent fantasy chapter books. And cool grandmothers.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.


The sad one with the great illustrations 

Book Cover: The Man Who Walked in SaltSummary: From the time they were small, Po and Esperanza were best friends. But then something happened that wasn’t supposed to, something that changed Po’s life. This is the story of how you can get lost, and then get found again if you don’t lose hope.

Style: Melancholy parable.

Perfect for: People trying to carry on after a loss. (To be honest, there’s not much of a market for this book, but it’s beautifully illustrated and I’m really proud of it.)

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 


The one with all the U’s

Book Cover: I Love USummary: Too long unsung, it’s time U got what U deserved: a book all its own. So let’s celebrate used unicycles, unforgettable underwear, ugly unicorns, and lots more! Let’s celebrate U, the alphabet’s ultimate underdog. U will be glad you did.

Style: Super-simple picture book.

Perfect for: Valentine’s Day.

Click the picture for the PDF, or buy it on Amazon.
 

<<First Name>>, we’d love to know what you think of this weekly story email. Just hit reply to talk to us.
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