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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 8h

Thank you, Cobb County, for giving The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls a shoutout in your Global Diversity Awareness Month Booklist! It's in some great company. See the whole list here: www.cobbcounty.gov/news/global-...

A screen shot of a Global Diversity booklist from Cobb County, Georgia, in the US. Here's a list of the books:

Children's and Preteen Chapter Books
Call Me Al by Wali Shah

Danilo Was Here by Tamika Burgess

Finally Seen by Kelly Yang

Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh

Hail Mariam by Huda Al-Marashi

Holler of the Fireflies by David Barclay Moore

Love, Love by Victoria Chang

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee

The Other Side of the River by Alda Dobbs

Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim

The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls by J Anderson Coats (has a red arrow pointing to it)

Weird Rules to Follow by Kim Spencer

Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah by Margaret Gurevich

Zarina Divided by Reem Faruqi

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 9h

Happy book birthday! Gonna turn it face-out everywhere I see it. 📚❤️📚

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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Banned Books - Gator Days

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Educator friends! If you have ever considered inviting an author to talk to your students about books, writing, and using your own human brain to come up with meaningful stories, now's the time! My calendar is filling up, but I still have some spots left. Deets: www.jandersoncoats.com/author-visits

jandersoncoats.com

Author Visits — J. Anderson Coats

Author visits create a lasting impression on students. They build relationships between kids and the written word, inspire them to pursue creative endeavors, and connect lessons learned in the classro...

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Jeff VanderMeer @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

They quoted me in this New Yorker piece about AI today. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

“Let’s say there’s a world or time line I exist in where A.I. has been subject to regulation. It is ethical. It has no footprint environmentally,” the novelist Jeff VanderMeer, a prominent critic of A.I., told me over the phone. “With those guardrails in place, would I read an A.I. book? All I can say is no. And the reason is, in part, because I want to read something coming from a particular mind.” Using A.I., he said, “feels like a betrayal of the whole point of why you’re a writer.”

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Happy paperback birthday to The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls! If you want to celebrate with me, do a crossword, visit a library, or eat a donut in honor of my grandmother, who inspired this book. Want to give it a read? Details here: www.jandersoncoats.com/the-unexpect...

jandersoncoats.com

The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls — J. Anderson Coats

Middle grade historical fiction book set in 1910 Colorado in which a Slovenian-American girl runs away to Denver and lives in a library.

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James Allen @tljamesa.com · 25/09/2026

Great share from @axbom.com A great illustration about why converstaions about "ai" are so difficult sometimes. There's a lot going on... axbom.com/aieco/ #schoollibraries #schoollibrarian

axbom.com

Harms of the AI ecosystem – infographic

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Brick & Mortar Books @brick-mortar.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Today is Dolly Day! We’re donating 10% of all pre-tax sales between 9AM and 5PM on 9/25 to local Title I schools until 5PM, in store or online. You can also purchase a gift card to donate directly to Title I school.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Plant friends! My daughter is worried about her baby fig tree. The leaves seem to be developing pale yellow and brown spots. She thought up-potting would help, and adding some fertilizer, but spots are still spreading to the new leaves. Does anyone have ideas/advice? She loves this lil guy.

A baby fig tree in a pot of dirt. You can see a tiled floor in the background. There are brown and yellow speckles on the fig leaves.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Super excited to be attending the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival again this year! Here's a little piece their local newspaper ran with a picture of me at a school visit being only slightly derpy. If you're in northern CA on Sat (10/17), come by the library for a free public book signing!

times-standard.com

Humboldt County Children’s Author Festival to showcase 25 authors

The Humboldt County Children’s Author Festival returns with 25 bestselling and award-winning authors visiting local schools, promoting literacy and the joy of reading.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Your periodic reminder that reviews help authors in all kinds of ways. If you love a book, please consider leaving a review in whatever online space you're in. Thanks for your support!

A text-based graphic encouraging readers to leave reviews for books they love. Text reads:

Reviews help authors

Visibility: People buy books based on word of mouth - help them find your favorites

Connection: When you share what you like about a book, it helps someone else who likes the same things decide to give the book a try. A review helps a reader know what they're getting and why a book might appeal to them.

Enthusiasm: Being excited about something is infectious. When you can't stop talking about a book, people will be curious about why you love it.

Get started!: Don't know where to stary? Try describing your favorite part of the book or a character you liked, then say why you liked it best. Share what kind of reader might also like the book.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Going through some old pictures and found this gem from when my daughter was in middle school.

A screen shot of a worksheet from a middle-school-aged kid. Text reads:

My hobbies/extra-curricular activities

The kid has filled in:

Fire
Video Games
Writing

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

One week to go! Super excited for the paperback release of The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls! Come for some pro-immigrant, pro-freedom-to-read middle grade fiction, stay for some living-in-a-library wish fulfillment. 📚❤️📚 Details here: www.jandersoncoats.com/the-unexpect...

jandersoncoats.com

The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls — J. Anderson Coats

Middle grade historical fiction book set in 1910 Colorado in which a Slovenian-American girl runs away to Denver and lives in a library.

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Return of the Living Dan @danlarson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Writers/Musicians/Artists told you from Day 1 that this was theft. Straight up. Always has been.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Relatable. So very relatable. Instant preorder.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The paperback edition of The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls drops in just two weeks! I'm so excited that this lil pro-immigrant, pro-freedom-to-read middle grade historical will be available in multiple formats so it can reach more readers. More here: www.jandersoncoats.com/the-unexpect...

jandersoncoats.com

The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls — J. Anderson Coats

Middle grade historical fiction book set in 1910 Colorado in which a Slovenian-American girl runs away to Denver and lives in a library.

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Kate Carpenter @katecarp.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

File under: make the merch you wish to wear in the world.

Mock up image of an olive green baseball cap with the words "archive rat" in white serif font on the front

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Matt Seybold @mattseybold.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I feel so confident saying the native intelligence of this generation is not the problem. The looting & wholesale sabotage of their educational infrastructure is.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Sonnia loves horses and hopes to own one someday, but when she discovers a secret that endangers her beloved Ricochet, she must decide what she’s willing to give up to keep him safe. If you know a kid who reads horse books to tatters, this one might be up their alley.

jandersoncoats.com

The Night Ride — J. Anderson Coats

Middle grade action-adventure fiction book about a horse-loving girl who must try to save horses in danger, who dreams of owning a horse of her own.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

One thing I miss most about the Before Internet was how easy it was to find unusual but very specific things. 🧵

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Okay, but I'm keeping the bullet journal because it's covered in cute stickers.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I would read the phone book if Kate Beaton's name was on the cover, but dang, this one took my breath away.

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beetle moses @beetlemoses.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Three panel comic. Panel 1: a horseshoe crab watches as a variety of prehistoric creatures swim towards an ethereal light. An ammonite calls back to the crab, “come on, horseshoe crab! We’re all evolving!” Panel 2: the horseshoe crab stays in position and replies, “nahh that’s crazy” Panel 3: the horseshoe crab is superimposed in front of a future premonition: a rather miserable-looking human slouched in the glow of a desktop computer. The horshoe crab swims away and says, “good luck tho”

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Entering the rainy season. Doom is not a fan. Spider season, on the other hand. That is a fun and sometimes delicious season.

A Bengal/tabby cat sits in loaf mode on a beige carpet next to a hardwood floor. She does not look impressed with your nonsense.

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Violet Fox 🦊 @violetbfox.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

📣 Brand new zine published to celebrate Labor Day: "Don’t Cross the Picket Line : Strike Solidarity for Beginners." Free to print or read online at violetbfox.info/dontcross/. This 24-page zine was created for anyone who's *not* part of a union and doesn't know much about unions or strikes.

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Erin Fogg says Free Link @criminalerin.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Happy Labor Day! I see & respect the past accomplishments of the labor movement and raise u full communism

The classic labor woodcut propaganda that used to be 8 hours for work, 8 hours for rest, 8 hours for what you will.

But I added a panel in the front of children playing, which reads 20 years for play, then the woodcut of a woman cooking reading 20 years for work, then a woodcut of a person sleeping and two people in a boat relaxing reading 60 years for rest and play

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Sarah Pinsker @sarahpinsker.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

All of this! When I do research in a library, even when I'm looking for a specific book, I look at the books on the shelves around it as well, and usually find something I didn't know I was looking for

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

At 12 or 13, I was busily reading through the medieval history nonfiction books at the public library. All from the adult section. I was taking careful notes on pastel index cards because I was writing my first novel. This crappy ruling would have destroyed me.

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Riley Black 🏳️‍⚧️ 🦕 @restingdinoface.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I do this all the time and my local bookstore makes it so easy. Walk in or call, ask, they put in the order, a few days later I get the call, everyone’s happy and I kick something to an indie in the process. It’s great.

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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

come to the archive where you can look at historic doodles of a guy fighting two swans

An 18th century ledger showing payments and numbers in a column. In the centre of the page is a crude illustration of two large birds(?) with their tails going up in a spiral, one with spots, the other white. A figure smoking a pipe and wearing a hat and boots is grabbing one of them by the neck. There is a mysterious box next to him which looks a lot like a Looney Tunes style TNT detonator, though obviously that would be ahistorical given the perfectly sensible composition of the rest of the doodle.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

If you have small folks around who love them an activity book, grab this one and support a good cause!

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

And they will keep doing it, again and again, because scattering pocket change is not real consequences.

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Kingfisher & Wombat @tkingfisher.com · 03/09/2026

To jump off this, if I’m at a con, please don’t feel obligated to come up with something clever before talking to me. Unless you catch me in the first hour of the first day, odds are good I’m not clever at that exact moment either. You can grunt “Book good!” and I’ll grunt “Yay!” and we’re fine.

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Freedom to Read Project @freedomreadproject.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Send your school media specialist/librarian a quick note letting them know there are parents and families who value diverse, inclusive library collections and support their professional expertise. Check out this template to make it easy for you!

Send a supportive letter to the media specialist/school librarian. check out our template

Subject: Thank You for Supporting Our School Library

Hi [Librarian’s Name],

I wanted to reach out and let you know that our family values a school library with a wide variety of books, perspectives, and experiences for students to explore.

Thank you for using your professional expertise to build a collection that serves all students. Please know there are parents in our community who support you and believe students deserve the freedom to read and choose books that interest them.

If there are ways families can help support the library or advocate for its collection, I’d be happy to hear them.

Thank you for everything you do for our students and readers!

Best,
[Your Name]

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

A pipe cleaner that is identical in every way - with the exception of not being a choking hazard - is going to be completely unacceptable, isn't it?

Two pictures side by side. On the left is a Bengal/tabby cat lying on her side on a green porch. On the left is a red pipe cleaner bitten into two pieces by the cat, resting on a wooden table.

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John Downes-Angus @johndownesangus.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

“If the doom narrative of the prognosticators is getting to you and the future of reading feels precarious, make a choice to support the bookstores where reading is bedrock”

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Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

There is no real way to train a historian without having students immerse themselves (repeat THEMSELVES) in the material. Its what sparks that interest in the first place! Its when they have their baby eureka moments, and begin to form connections and think historically. gAI is poison for all that.

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Muffin 🔞 it's kinky time @voyeuristicbeast.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A little reminder that enjoying yourself is never a waste of time. Hours into a videogame isn't a waste of time. Learning something for fun isn't a waste of time. I love learning new things, I have so many I learned once and never did again. Never a waste of time.

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I'm kind of afraid to eat them. They look like the souls of the damned trapped for all eternity in cracker form.

Two images side by side. On the left: an open package of Goldfish crackers with a Squirtle theme. Squirtle is a blue turtle Pokemon who is smiling. On the right: Two crackers from the bag that are meant to look like Squirtle's face, but the expression is squished and a little menacing. The crackers are a dark gray. Both images have a light brown background.

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Celeste Pewter @celestepewter.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

LOVE this: THE GREAT PUMPKIN PANCAKE PARTY is now an audiobook, and @audiofilemagazine.bsky.social has praised Rebecca Ho's narration as “sure to get listeners into the autumnal spirit.” Read it now:

kirkusreviews.com

THE GREAT PUMPKIN PANCAKE PARTY by Celeste P… | Kirkus Reviews

Narrator Rebecca Ho creates a youthful voice for Lilly as she describes her grandpa’s love of…

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J. Anderson Coats (she/her) @jandersoncoats.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Two warring nations One fragile peace treaty A ruinous storm Two girls who each grew up convinced their enemy was pure evil but now have to work together to rescue themselves from a desert island. Oh, and there are pirates. More here: www.jandersoncoats.com/the-loss-of-...

jandersoncoats.com

The Loss of the Burying Ground — J. Anderson Coats

Young adult action-adventure fiction book about two shipwrecked girls who must outwit pirates and convince their warring homelands to make peace.

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