EPUB to Mind Map
EPUB files have a chapter and section structure encoded in the table of contents. SpawnGraph reads that structure and turns chapters into main branches and sections into sub-branches. Good for students working through assigned texts, researchers summarising books, and anyone who wants a navigable overview before reading the full text.
How it works
- 1Get the EPUB file. Download it from your ebook source — Project Gutenberg, Open Library, a library ebook service, or a DRM-free purchase.
- 2Drop it onto SpawnGraph. The browser File API reads the file locally — no upload.
- 3Chapters become branches. Sections become sub-branches. Annotate, collapse, or share from the canvas.
Why mind-map a book?
Most non-fiction books are 80 percent context and 20 percent key ideas. A mind map of the chapter structure surfaces the 20 percent on one screen — you can see what the book is about without reading the prose. Read the map first, then read the chapters that matter most for your specific purpose. Good for: assigned reading where you need to know the structure before the seminar, research literature where you are scanning many books for the ones worth a deep read, and technical books where you need specific chapters and not the whole thing.
What EPUB files work best?
Non-fiction with clear chapter and section structure maps best: technical books, academic texts, business books, self-help, history, and journalism. The parser reads the table of contents to identify chapter boundaries. Fiction maps less usefully because chapters are usually labelled by number rather than by topic — the resulting map shows the sequence of chapters but does not give a topical overview. For PDF-only books, see the PDF to Mind Map page.
Where to get EPUB files
Project Gutenberg has a large free public-domain catalogue. Open Library lends EPUBs from major libraries. Most public library systems offer ebook borrowing through Libby or OverDrive — the files are typically available as EPUB. Many publishers sell DRM-free ebooks directly, especially for technical books. Note: DRM-protected EPUBs from Amazon Kindle and some other stores are not compatible with SpawnGraph because the file content is encrypted — use your reader's PDF export option instead, then use the PDF import path.
From ebook to study map
The student workflow: drop the EPUB, collapse all branches, read the chapter titles as a high-level map, then expand only the chapters you are studying right now. Add your own annotations as child nodes — your summary of the chapter, the key concept, the relevant page numbers. Share the resulting study map with your reading group or supervisor via a live link. See the students use case for revision workflows that span ebook, lecture, and note sources.
In short: SpawnGraph converts EPUB ebooks into editable mind maps in the browser. Chapters become branches, sections become sub-branches. The ebook stays on your device. No upload, no signup required.