Cover of "The Soul of an Octopus"
Did I learn if the plural of octopus is octopuses or octopi? No, but Sy shares stories of several octopi she’s connected with over the years and makes me jealous that I've never had the experience...
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#BlueReads #BookReview #Nonfiction #AmReading
Cover of Superconvergence by Jamie Metzl
Just finished reading Superconvergence by Jamie Metzl.
It’s a good time to be alive basically. Every technology we have is making major strides forward. Everything from healthcare to energy is reaching unexpected advances...
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#BlueReads #BookReview #Nonfiction #AmReading
Cover of Algospeak - How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic
Social media hasn’t just sped up the pace of linguistics shifts, but some of the language we’ve been adopting online has been out of a need to bypass automated moderation as tactical necessity...
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#BlueReads #BookReview #Nonfiction #AmReading
Cover of Susannah Breslin's Data Baby Book
Data Baby is a strange account of what it was like to be an experiment. While scientists were busy categorizing her personality and predicting her future, the more she tried to prove she couldn’t be predicted ... uxbrad.com/activity/202...
#BlueReads #BookReview #Nonfiction #AmReading
"Up the Ante", the fourth Magical Misfits mystery is now available on Netgalley. If you're a reviewer, why not pop across and get a sneak peek? #booksky #authorsandwriters #bluereads #freebooks
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Book cover of When Plants Dream by Daniel Pinchbeck
When Plants Dream did something that few books about drugs do. Any book I've ready about opium, weed, or other drugs, there’s usually some point on why you shouldn't do them. But not here!
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Cover of Supremacy
Parmy Olson’s Supremacy tackles the origin stories of AI and how we’ve basically thrown any ethics out the window when there was a pretty strong effort in the beginning not to. Whoops.
#BlueReads #BookReview #Nonfiction #AmReading
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Blue and beige background that reads "Teachers & librarians! Enter to win a live Zoom chat with 2026 Bluestem Author Kari Lavelle" Two yellow bubbles read "Monday, October 10th at 1pm CT" and "Enter your class(es) via the link in our bio!" In the center of the post, there's a picture of Kari Lavelle (a white woman with brown shoulder length hair wearing a navy dress) and the cover of Butt or Face? (green cover with a zebra butt that has 2 googly eyes on either side of the tail, resembling a face).
Join us to learn: is it a butt or is it a face with Kari Lavelle, author of Butt or Face? If you'd like the opportunity for your class to participate, enter for a chance by 12pm CT on 11/3! buff.ly/fNcdl3i #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Blue and beige background that reads "Teachers & librarians! Enter to win a live Zoom chat with 2026 Bluestem author Lisa Yee!" Two yellow bubbles read "Wednesday, November 5th at 11am CT" and "Enter your class(es) via the link in our bio!" In the center of the post, there's a picture of Lisa Yee (a Chinese woman with short brown hair wearing a purple shirt and beaded necklace) and the cover of The Misfits (blue cover with 5 kids standing in a lineup).
We'll be kicking off November with Lisa Yee, author of The Misfits! If you'd like a chance for your class to participate, enter by 12pm CT on 10/29. buff.ly/QXxW3Jj #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Blue and beige background that reads "Teachers & librarians! Enter to win a live Zoom chat with 2026 Bluestem Illustrator Wallace West!" Two yellow bubbles read "Thursday, October 23 at 10am CT" and "Enter your class(es) via the link in our bio!" In the center of the post, there's a picture of Wallace West (a white man wearing a white shirt, blue scarf, baseball hat, and dark-framed glasses) and the cover of Dogtown (blue cover with a brown dog and a robot dog snuggling).
Our October is simply full of author visits! For our final chat of the month, we'll be chatting with Dogtown illustrator Wallace West! If you'd like a chance for your class to participate, enter by 12p CT on 10/16. buff.ly/vURrKha #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Blue and beige background that reads "Teachers & librarians! Enter to win a live Zoom chat with 2026 Bluestem Author Julie Buxbaum!" Two yellow bubbles read "Thursday, October 16 at 12pm CT" and "Enter your class(es) via the link in our bio!" In the center of the post, there's a picture of Julie Buxbaum (white woman with shoulder length brown hair wearing a blue shirt) and the cover of The Area 51 Files (blue cover with a red vehicle being operated by two tweens who are surrounded by extraterrestrial characters).
Next we have an out-of-this-world author visit with Julie Buxbaum, author of The Area 51 Files! If you're interested enter your class by 12p CT on 10/9 for the chance to participate! buff.ly/AmwNygk #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Blue and beige background that reads "Teachers & librarians! Enter to win a live Zoom chat with 2026 Bluestem Authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko!" Two yellow bubbles read "Thursday, October 9 at 10am CT" and "Enter your class(es) via the link in our bio!" In the center of the post, there's a picture of Katherine Applegate (white woman with light light hair wearing a white shirt and a denim jacket), Gennifer Choldenko (white woman with dark hair wearing a white shirt), and the cover of Dogtown (blue cover with a brown dog and a robot dog snuggling).
Next up is an author duo: Katherine Applegate @kaaauthor.bsky.social + Gennifer Choldenko @choldenko.bsky.social chatting about their book, Dogtown! Enter by 12p CT on 10/2 for a chance to join us on this doubly exciting live chat! buff.ly/59VNIC6 #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Blue and beige background that reads "Teachers & librarians! Enter to win a live Zoom chat with 2026 Bluestem Author Emma Steinkellner!" Two yellow bubbles read "Wednesday, October 8 at 11am CT" and "Enter your class(es) via the link in our bio!" In the center of the post, there's a picture of Emma Steinkellner (white adult woman with short dark brown hair wearing a striped shirt) and the cover of Nell of Gumbling (mustard cover with 3 characters; a fairy in a purple sweater and pink skirt, a human presenting character with a striped shirt and brown pants, and a horse human hybrid wearing a red tanktop).
Our live chats just keep coming! Next up is Emma Steinkellner and her graphic novel, Nell of Gumbling! If you're interested, enter by 12p CT on 10/1 for the opportunity to participate. buff.ly/bvlHPxG #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Blue and beige background that reads "Teachers & librarians! Enter to win a live Zoom chat with 2026 Bluestem Author Meggie Ramm!" Two yellow bubbles read "Friday, October 3 at 10am CT" and "Enter your class(es) via the link in our bio!" In the center of the post, there's a picture of Meggie Ramm (white adult wearing a pink sweater, black scarf, and a tortoiseshell cat across shoulders with short blond hair and purple glasses) and the cover of Batcat (teal cover with a pink bat cat hybrid on the cover).
Our first live chat of the year is quickly approaching! Enter your class for the opportunity to chat with cartoonist Meggie Ramm @meggietheramm.bsky.social about their graphic novel Batcat! Enter by 12p CT on 9/26 for the opportunity to be selected! buff.ly/TXjfc0I #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Chaos to Stability Book Cover
The world makes no sense. Existence makes no sense. Our brains and their limited capacity to pull data out the universe, try their damnedest to stitch together some kind of story so we don’t completely lose it, mostly ... uxbrad.com/activity/202...
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Shows a schedule of author/illustrator visits as follows: -Meggie Ramm on 10/3 at 10am -Emma Steinkellner on 10/8 at 11am -Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko on 10/9 at 10am -Julie Buxbaum on 10/26 at 12pm -Wallace West on 10/23 at 10am -Lisa Yee on 11/5 at 11am -Kari Lavelle on 11/10 at 1pm -Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter on 12/2 at 11am -Erin Frankel on 12/4 at 12pm -Maryann Cocca-Leffler on 12/9 at 10am -Meg Eden Kuyatt on 1/7 at 9am Please note that all visits are held in Central Time on Zoom.
Illinois teachers and librarians, it's time! Entry forms for live chats with our 2026 authors + illustrators are live! You can find all entry forms via the AISLE calendar or this link buff.ly/pB2I7Pc! #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Proto Book Cover
I don’t speak good. Someone did a terrible job teaching me how to English, but I’ve gotten about just fine, I guess. The idea of this book was compelling enough to pick up [...]
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Do I use math often? No not really. In fact, it was probably a complete waste to learn. So why am I still interested in it? I don’t know, but you know who keeps math interesting? @standupmaths.bsky.social
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Cultish: The Language of Fanatcism by Amanda Montell Book Cover
I’m VERY approachable. I know this because I’m approached a lot. But never once have I been approached to join anyone’s cult... uxbrad.com/activity/202...
#BlueReads #BookReview #Nonfiction #Linguistics #AmReading
Blue background with stars that reads Bluestem 2026 Nominees. Pictured on the background is a book cover depicting a little library. There's a fluffy orange cat and 2 mice on top of the library. The bottom library shelf shows a young boy in an orange shirt and green shorts holding a book. He stands in front of a ghost house. The book is The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass.
As you might have guessed, we're pretty big library fans here at Bluestem. But that's only part of why we picked our next book, The Lost Library by @rebstead.bsky.social and @wenmass.bsky.social . It also features a delightful cat named Mortimer, ghosts, and a mystery! #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Blue background with stars that reads Bluestem 2026 Nominees. Pictured on the background is a book cover depicting an outdoor scene. Two students in red uniforms are running towards the reader, while other students fight in the background. Two birds swoop above and a large black cat-like creature roars. The title of this book is Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Kevin Hong.
With it's short chapters and engaging world-building, our next nominee is a must read for young readers looking to get into fantasy! The Guardian Test by @soontornvat.bsky.social , ill. by Kevin Hong is the first book in the Legends of Lotus Island series. ✨ #BluestemAward #BlueReads
Check out ReInception and DeInception by @sarenastraus.bsky.social. I’m looking forward to part 3!
#scifi #dystopian #bluereads
Big thanks to the dedicated committees and the passionate readers for nominating outstanding books. Excited to announce our 2026 Illinois Bluestem Award List! bit.ly/2026Bluestem... @aisled-org.bsky.social
#BluestemAward #BlueReads
Woo hoo and Oof! Honored that The Misfits - A Royal Conundrum is an Illinois #BluestemAward nominee!
#BlueReads @randomhousekids.bsky.social @safety.bsky.app @dansantat.bsky.social #KidLit #Reading #Misfits
If you like SciFi Fantasy, high action, and a dash of romance—“The Shadow Sector” drops 1/31 on KU and paperback!
#bookish #amreading #bluebooks #bluereads #reader #booksky
More personality content between Wraith and her companion, Richter! These two’s banter is unmatched
#bookish #amreading #bluereads #books #booktok #newbookrelease
