iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Another recent reprint in Ladybug I just found out about. Illustrated by #SairomMoon. This was fun to write. #kidlit #kidlitillustration #kidlitart #childrenssongs

Song by Brian Gene Olson titled "Oo La Lee." Illustrated by Sairom Moon. Originally published in Ladybug magazine March 2020.

Opposite page of "Ooo La Lee" featuring more of Sairom Moon's illustration.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A recent reprint in Ladybug magazine. Art by Anastasia Bukhnina. #kidlit #kidlitart #kidlitillustration

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Definitely, and I do get to occasionally channel my music-making into KidLit, so there's that.🙂 #kidlitchat

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Not many smiles in this pic. Not sure why. #retro #memories #80s

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

Second grade, year of the gap-toothed grin. I'm bottom row, fourth from the right, right side of the sign. So weird going through all these old pics! #tbt #retro #80s #memories

My second-grade class picture. 1984/1985.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

My first grade class photo. That's me second row from the bottom, far right. I thought I was pretty stylin' with that collar. I remember our #teacher Mrs. Pratt telling us one day it was her birthday and that she was now 99. We were so excited she was close to 100.😆 #retro #80s #memories

First grade class picture from 1983/1984.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

My kindergarten class picture. That's my retro hyperactive avatar in the bottom row, far right.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Another Alderwood Park #StoryWalk. RAINBOW SHOPPING by Qing Zhuang. A lovely story for a lovely day. #kidlit #picturebook #kidlitart #tacoma #tacomawa #QingZhuang #tacomapubliclibrary #kobetich

The start of a StoryWalk featuring Rainbow Shopping, a picture book written and illustrated by Qing Zhuang, in Alderwood Park, Tacoma, Washington.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

"Fish are sensitive." Today we enjoyed the new Pacific Seas Aquarium at @ptdefiancezoo.bsky.social. #zoo #aquarium #tacoma #tacomawa

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Hidden treasure uncovered during a Story Walk in Alderwood Park, Tacoma, WA. The best part was snapping a pic and putting it back for someone else to find. Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by #MonicaBrown, illustrated by #JohnParra #picturebook #FridaKahlo #kidlit #kidlitart #illustration #tacomawa

A Story Walk version of picture book Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos by Monica Brown, illustrated by John Parra

A tiny basket holding a single ceramic Easter egg nestled in a tree at Alderwood Park, Tacoma, WA

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

If you see this, post a unicorn you’ve drawn or painted #kidlitart #kidlit This was my fanart of IF UR STABBY by @kazwindness.bsky.social (with apologies to Kaz for the dead fish eye). My medium was dusty-old-magnetic-drawing-pad-from-back-of-closet.

Fan art for IF UR STABBY, a book by Kaz Windness.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Repost you from a different era ✨ Summer 1985. Hyperactive 8-year-old me pumping water in a cemetery after literally dancing on my great-great-grandfather's grave.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Thank you Seattle Symphony and conductor Nicholas Carter for last night's insanely beautiful rendition of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1! #mahler #classicalmusic #SeattleSymphony

The stage of Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

I had a couple pieces published in Ladybug & Babybug earlier this year I never bothered sharing on the broken tweet-tweet site which I'm happy to share with you all now. #kidlit #poetry

"Come Along, Snuggle Bugs" poem by Brian Gene Olson. Art by Merry Miller-Gass. Published in Ladybug magazine.

"Help Up" poem by Brian Gene Olson. Art by Claire Loon Baldwin. Published in Babybug magazine.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 08/11/2024

Since I haven't yet offered a Bluesky introduction post... Hi, I'm Brian. I write children's poems and songs, some of which have appeared in Ladybug, Babybug, The School Magazine, and Highlights Hello. I'm looking to connect with new #kidlit peeps (and reconnect with old ones from Brand X).

Cockatoo Calling, song by Brian Gene Olson, illustrated by Simona Ceccarelli. Published by Ladybug Magazine Feb. 2020. Music and text (C) Brian Gene Olson. Art (C) Simona Ceccarelli.

Sunday Drive poem by Brian Gene Olson. Art by Cheryl Orsini. Published in Oct. 2023 in The School Magazine: Blast Off. Words (C) Brian Gene Olson. Art (C) Cheryl Orsini.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 25/05/2024

The Game of Life takes a different view. (Pic by Rachel Reiss)

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 25/02/2024

I wrote a children's poem with Mahler's song "Ablösung im Sommer" on my mind, although my cuckoo doesn't drop dead. He gets to retire for a quiet evening while the Nightingale temporarily takes over the singing. My whole life is a Mahler phase.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 18/02/2024

I'm so honored to share a piece with the talented Merry Miller-Gass in this month's Ladybug magazine. I've followed Merry back on Twitter/Brand X for some time.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 26/10/2023

Happy birthday, Dad. Eternally grateful both my kids got to spend their childhoods with you.

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Brian Gene Olson @bgowriter.bsky.social · 03/10/2023

THE RED EAR BLOWS ITS NOSE is an unbelievably fun and imaginative poetry collection from @robertschechter.bsky.social. One of my favorite books of the year from one of my favorite #kidlit poets.

THE RED EAR BLOWS ITS NOSE by Robert Schechter. Illustrations by S. Frederico. Poetry collection from Word Galaxy, 2023.

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