THE BOOKSHELF FILE NO. 1986-JH · §03
RECORD LITERARY BY HOLCOMB, J. STATUS IN PRINT REVIEW BY READERS, NOT COMMITTEES
Catalog

My Books.

✎ These are my books, written for people who still believe ideas matter. They are about freedom, responsibility, courage, and questioning the rules we are told to follow. Each one is meant to spark thought, start conversations, and remind readers that they do not need permission to think for themselves.

CHAPTER 1 — IT BEGINS
From the moment we are old enough to ask, we are told to wait.
Wait for the form. Wait for the line. Wait for the stamp.
Wait for the office that opens at 9 and closes at 9:04.
But waiting is not the same as living, and somewhere along the way…
p. 1
UNAUTHORIZED
The Permission Slip Society by James Holcomb
NON-FICTION · FEATURED

The Permission Slip Society

The Permission Slip Society explores a world where people are taught to wait, ask, comply, and accept the idea that every part of life needs approval from someone above them. James Holcomb challenges that mindset with a clear, liberty-focused message: your life should not require a permission slip.

⚠ WARNING: This book has not been approved by the Department of Unnecessary Rules and may cause independent thought.
★ ✶ ★   FOR THE LITTLE CITIZENS   ★ ✶ ★
Children's Series · Light Liberty Themes

Little Stories for Independent Minds.

Fully illustrated picture books for young readers — written to be fun first, with quiet little ideas about saving, sharing, finding your voice, and trading honestly tucked gently inside.

Patrick and the Winter Acorns — cover
CHILDREN'S · AGE 5 AND UNDER

Patrick and the Winter Acorns

✎ Theme: foresight & saving

When Patrick the squirrel discovers that his carefully gathered acorns have gone missing on the eve of the first snowfall, he sets off on a gentle adventure through the changing forest — learning along the way that the greatest treasures are not always the ones we bury. A warmhearted picture book about friendship, generosity, and the courage it takes to ask for help, Patrick and the Winter Acorns is a story children will ask to hear again and again.

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The Market of Many Talents — cover
CHILDREN'S · AGE 5 AND UNDER

The Market of Many Talents

✎ Theme: voluntary trade & cooperation

In a quiet valley, six dragons each use their talents alone — until one small trade changes everything. Fire brings warmth. Forest grows food. Water carries goods. Ice keeps things fresh. Lightning shares messages. Shadow creates calm places to gather. As the dragons begin sharing what they do best, a lively market starts to grow in the valley. But when everything becomes too rushed and controlled, the market falls silent again. To rebuild it, the dragons must remember what made it special in the first place. The Market of Many Talents is a warm, beautifully illustrated picture book about cooperation, creativity, friendship, and the strength that comes from different gifts working together — perfect for read-aloud time, classrooms, and families who love imaginative books with heart.

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Marlo and the Borrowed Voice — cover
CHILDREN'S · AGE 5 AND UNDER

Marlo and the Borrowed Voice

✎ Theme: free speech & finding your own voice

In a pond full of loud voices, Marlo is different — he prefers to listen. Quiet, thoughtful, and observant, Marlo notices how every frog has a voice all their own. But when he discovers a glowing reed that makes his small voice echo across the entire pond, everything changes: suddenly everyone listens, the frogs understand one another more quickly, and Marlo is proud to help. But as the pond begins to depend on him, fewer frogs speak for themselves — and what once felt helpful leaves the whole pond strangely quiet. Then the storm comes, and in the moment they need each other most, Marlo must learn an important truth: the strongest voice is not always the loudest one. A beautifully illustrated picture book about self-confidence, friendship, and the courage to speak up — gentle, memorable, and emotionally resonant.

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Published With

Sequoia Book Publishers

Independent. Plain-spoken. Built to keep good ideas in print, no permission slip required.

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