Kai Gottschalk
@kybrarian.bsky.social
340 followers 64 following 1.1K posts
I'm Kai! They/them. Library worker, writer in progress. Here be books and creatures and brainweirds and queerness.
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kybrarian.bsky.social
I always want to ask the "at least they're reading" grown ups what THEY'VE read lately, and tell them "Well, at least you're reading."

If kids are enjoying and engaging in a text, then that is valuable in and of itself, not as a stepping stone to "better" books.
kybrarian.bsky.social
My point is that grown ups often go "well, at least they're reading" as in decoding text, but the fact is that kids are (or should be) absorbing so much more information than you think they are from books (and movies!), because what you think is common knowledge is still new to them.
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
paris.nyc
my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...
Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports
CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.
www.consumerreports.org
kybrarian.bsky.social
Oh yeah! While I haven't read the Minecraft books in particular, a lot of the cheesy chapter books that grown ups disparage contain themes of persistence under difficult circumstances, standing up for what's right, and helping others, not to mention lots of real world science and history facts!
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
sadiehartmann.bsky.social
Book recommendations for Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Read today & all year! Alt text for text
Blood Sisters
• A Council of Dolls
• Never Whistle at Night
• Winter Counts (TBR)
• There, There
• Night of the Living Rez
Bad Cree
• The Bone Picker (tbr)
• Ghost Girls and Rabbits
• White Horse
• Buffalo Hunter Hunter
• Mask of the Deer Woman
• India Burial Ground
• Shutter
• Man Made Monsters (I need to finish!)
• On the Savage Side
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
kybrarian.bsky.social
Kids don't know what cliches are yet so they are learning the exact same things about story structure and narrative development from their Minecraft novels as they would from anything a grown-up would consider "good" literature. It's not "at least they're reading," they are in fact learning.
rachelfeder.bsky.social
Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
katherinelocke.bsky.social
I'm crowdsourcing out of desperation so please be kind.

I'm looking for 2 things for a friend. An adult residential ED program that has scholarships or can help offset cost. And while we look for that, a 🏳️‍🌈 friendly CPTSD therapist in the Loxahatchee, FL.

Please help me save my best friend's life.
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
sosomanysarahs.bsky.social
What you read is less important than whether you ever spend time thinking about what you've read.
rachelfeder.bsky.social
Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat
kybrarian.bsky.social
I think the reason novella series like Murderbot and Singing Hills are doing so well is because adults crave the joy of an eight year old reading twelve chapter books a week and we need chapter books for adults and teens. Just some bite size monster of the week stories, as a treat.
rachelfeder.bsky.social
Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
katz.theracket.news
Did not know this about Old Bay
The origins of the company can be traced back to Wertheim, Germany, where Brunn started a wholesale spice and seasoning business selling to food industries, seeing an opportunity as spices were in especially short supply amidst hyperinflation in the aftermath of World War I. 9] Due to rising antisemitism as the Nazi Party rose to power, the company moved to Frankfurt, Germany; 1°1 however, on the night of November 9, 1938, a massive pogrom against Jews, known as Kristallnacht, led to Brunn being arrested by Nazi soldiers and sent to Buchenwald concentration camp. "
According to Brunn's son, Gustav's wife paid a large sum of money to a lawyer for him to be released; as they had already applied for and received American visas, they were able to escape with their two children to New York City and later Baltimore, Maryland, where Brunn had family.!'! There, having brought with him only a small spice grinder, 8! Brunn founded the Baltimore Spice Company and produced the
"Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning", which was later renamed Old Bay. 12[13]
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
thetransfemininereview.com
Alright I need a short story break before I dive back into another gargantuan anthology, so let's read one of the oldest transfemme books I'm aware of!

Autobiography of an Androgyne is one of the earliest "trans memoirs," published a solid 15 years before the commonly cited 'first' trans memoir.
Autobiography of an Androgyne by Jennie June
kybrarian.bsky.social
That whole episode seemed weirdly regressive, like from an alternate universe where Leverage came out in the 80s. What do you mean the villain is a biker gang being paid by a corrupt Black mayor to terrorize a wholesome small town?
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
pecunium.bsky.social
What does this ad say to me, a cis dude?

When someone plants a flag it tells you where they stand.

He's planted a flag, saying he will fight for the most slandered group in America today.

If he'll fight for them, he'll fight for everyone's rights.

That's what you want in a politician.
zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera

In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.

As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Here I am. Once again. I'm out of archaeologists.

We matched 576 groups w/archaeologists, leaving 13 groups unmatched. This brings me pain! We've never run out of scientists like this before. 598 requests for one category is A LOT. But still.

Archaeologists 🥺
www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
Sign Up
Skype a Scientist gives you the opportunity to connect with students and the public around the world. ​
www.skypeascientist.com
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
kylegriffin1.bsky.social
A library director in Wyoming who was fired two years ago because she refused to remove books with sexual content and LGBTQ themes from a library's children and young adult sections has just been awarded $700,000 in a settlement. t.co/EA5L1kOZfV
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/us/wyoming-library-settlement-book-bans-terri-lesley.html?smtyp=cur&smid=fb-nytimes&fbclid=IwdGRjcANWLXdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhlnY6nKj_j4zuP3VjNSstXWBaV1t8-sPQ5C3b_jS6WN...
t.co
kybrarian.bsky.social
oh hi I'm back doing book displays. Here's Hispanic Heritage Month
A library display of books labelled "Hispanic Heritage Month." 

Books featured are:

Latino Americans by Ray Suarez
Inventing Latinos by Laura Gomez
El Viento Conoce Mi Nombre by Isabel Allende
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas
Nopalito by Gonzalo Guzman
A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria
Maria Had a Little Llama by Angela Dominguez
Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega
Efren Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
Un Vampiro en la Fogata by John Sazaklis
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
djangowexler.bsky.social
My boss: so how's our fourth quarter looking?

Me, the sales manager at the company that makes inflatable frog suits: well, you're never going to believe this, but
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
aanpress.bsky.social
Announcing our first open call for 2026 - "Tea or Coffee, Stars, and Gravity" which will ask for hard SF stories with tea or coffee, stars, and gravity all playing a prominent narrative role. Info here - aanpress.com/submissions.... Important: Be sure to read the cover page to the PDF.
Cover image to the book, showing the back of an astronaut in a space suit as he steps off into a psychedelic swirl of cosmic colors and stars. The title circles around the figure.
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
foxrook.bsky.social
I have been working on a collection of flower mini watercolor paintings called "Imperfections," but I need to sell them to cover the printer I need asap.

I'm pricing at $15/each. lf you want one, comment here or DM me! Alt text has ID.

#ArtSky #Art #Watercolor #flowers #nature #painting #MutualAid
A) a light orange orchid with white dots in the center with a light green stem and leaves.

B) a purple abstract orchid with a vibrant green stem and leaves.

C) a peachy Pink Starburst flower with a darker pink Center with mid green stem and leaves.

D) a peachy pink star fish shaped flower with a long green stem and leaves.

E) a shockingly Orange flower in the shape of a lavender plant.

F) a rich purple stem of lavender plant/flower. 

G) a burnt orange five petaled flower with one very long leaf.

H) a deep purple that's almost black five petaled flower

J) a delicate light peach four petaled flower with light green stem and leaves
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
sarahmackattack.bsky.social
I'm doing another print run of these "Biology is Bigger than Binaries" shirts!

Back, quite literally, by popular demand. Bullying works, sure, but so does a bunch of nice cutie patooties politely asking!

Order 'em now, I'll mail 'em in early November.

SquidFacts.net
a woman with short bown hair, glasses, and tassel earrings, wears a purple KN95 and looks cool as hell in her biology is bigger than binaries shirt, in orange a woman with green glasses takes a selfie lookin' cool as hell in her pink biology is bigger than binaries shirt. She's also got ice cream, that lucky dog. a woman with long brown hair and glasses hangs out in the back yard with her pink biology is bigger than binaries shirt A man with a hat and sunglasses stands in hero-pose with his biology is bigger than binaires shirt (orange)
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
coachfinstock.bsky.social
Dems can just clip the "we took the freedom of speech away" and make an ad
atrupar.com
Trump: "We took the freedom of speech away because that's been through the courts and the courts said you have freedom of speech, but what has happened is when they burn a flag it agitates and irritates crowds."
Reposted by Kai Gottschalk
ryanestrada.com
Oh heck yeah! Our books cover how independent booksellers were part of the revolution that saved Korea, so Hyun Sook and I are SUPER HONORED that our heroes at @americanbookseller.bsky.social named Good Old Fashioned Korean Spirit one of their IndieNext recommended titles!
An image of my book Good Old-Fashioned Korean Spirit with a Booksellers Recommend Indie Next Pick sticker on it.