Katherine Applegate
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kaaauthor.bsky.social
Katherine Applegate
@kaaauthor.bsky.social
I write books, like the "ONE & ONLY" series, WISHTREE, ODDER, DOGTOWN, and most recently, POCKET BEAR.

THE LITTLEST ELEPHANT: A One and Only Ruby Story is coming 3/17/26, and WOMBAT WAITING is coming 5/5/26!

I post with some help from Two Cats Comm.
IVAN was published fourteen years ago today. ❤️

I'm so honored to have shared his story with you all. Thank you to everyone who has ever picked up this book, shared it with friends, or read it aloud to students or family.

It truly means a lot. 🦍🐕🐘
January 17, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
Katherine Applegate’s book has a controversial protagonist: a tree named Red. Red is both male and female, which trees often are — but the detail has still led to the cancellation of two community-wide readings of the book. Read our interview with @kaaauthor.bsky.social at: pen.org/katherine-ap...
Katherine Applegate’s Book Was Labeled ‘Deliberate Indoctrination.’ It’s About the Power of Kindness.
Author Katherine Applegate tells PEN America what children miss out on when adults refuse to let them read her books.
pen.org
January 16, 2026 at 5:36 PM
As a wave of book banning continues across the country, I wanted to reshare this important research from @trevorproject.bsky.social on how book bans affect LGBTQ+ youth. Books save lives. ❤️
Book Bans and LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health
Research from The Trevor Project—the leading suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ youth— sheds light on the harms of book banning and curriculum censorship.
uniteagainstbookbans.org
January 16, 2026 at 6:14 PM
My thanks to @penamerica.bsky.social for the thoughtful conversation about #wishtree, which was recently removed from school reading programs in Wisconsin and Virginia.

The good news? When I visit a classroom, I come away reassured. The future’s in good hands. ❤️

pen.org/katherine-ap...
Katherine Applegate’s Book Was Labeled ‘Deliberate Indoctrination.’ It’s About the Power of Kindness.
Author Katherine Applegate tells PEN America what children miss out on when adults refuse to let them read her books.
pen.org
January 15, 2026 at 6:13 PM
Thank you so much to everyone who has read my new novel, POCKET BEAR, and reached out or tagged me here.

I've always had a soft spot for stuffed animals, and I'm so glad that Pocket is making so many new friends. Hearing from you makes my day. 💛🧸
January 15, 2026 at 5:31 PM
If you care about book banning, you simply must read this interview with @shannonhale.bsky.social. It's absolutely full of grace, wisdom, and compassion—and some really good arguments for the freedom to read. ❤️ pen.org/shannon-hale...
‘I Never Saw That Coming’: Shannon Hale Couldn’t Believe Her Children’s Book About a Unicorn Was Tossed Off Shelves
Author Shannon Hale: "We don’t need to shy away from the fact that all people (and unicorns! and kitties!) have bottoms."
pen.org
January 14, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Very pleased to share that all four books in my "One and Only" series will be released in a paperback box set in June.

It's been an honor to spend four books with Ivan and his friends. I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did. 🦍❤️ www.harperstacks.com/978006350857...

@harperkids.bsky.social
January 14, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
I did flipbooks for all of the Animorphs covers I did, but they appeared in black and white and very small, so I am posting them here so you can see them large and in color. No AI here--just Elastic Reality and painting. You can buy a signed print of this cover here:
www.etsy.com/listing/897954595
January 13, 2026 at 2:36 PM
What an amazing program in Germany! Meet the volunteers fostering endangered species in their homes and classrooms—and safeguarding the future of the planet. Bravo to everyone involved!
You Can Foster an Endangered Species in Your Home
In their own basements and living rooms, hobbyists are building a decentralized Ark for Earth's most threatened wildlife.
reasonstobecheerful.world
January 11, 2026 at 6:25 PM
#Animorphs fans, a reminder!

As the series turns 30 this year, the first three books are being released with beautiful new cover art by @creepcaptain.bsky.social. Out May 5! Here's a link to book one: bookshop.org/p/books/anim...
January 10, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
Books don't tell readers who they personally are or who they are supposed to be. They do show readers a variety of characters. Implicit in that is this: "Here are some ways of being." Kids books aren't altering your kid to be someone new. They are simply showing them parts of humanity.
January 10, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
Want to be a stronger defender of the freedom to read in 2026? Book Riot’s practical guide breaks down how to show up, speak up, and protect access to books in your community with real tips anyone can use.

bookriot.com/how-to-defen...

#FreedomToRead #StopBookBans #LiteracyAdvocacy
60+ Small Tasks to Defend the Right to Read: Book Censorship News, January 9, 2026
No one is coming to save us, so we must do it ourselves. Here are 60+ small tasks to help defend the right to read in 2026 and beyond.
bookriot.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
2026 marks ALA’s 150th anniversary, a milestone that invites us to imagine the libraries of tomorrow and to invest in the infrastructure that makes libraries a foundation of thriving communities.

Celebrate, connect, and reflect with us all year at ALA150.org. #ForOurLibraries
January 8, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Sharing this great resource from @uabookbans.bsky.social as the school year starts back up. If you're a student, parent, or community member concerned about censorship in your district, there are some great tips here. ❤️ uniteagainstbookbans.org/guide-to-att... #UniteAgainstBookBans
Guide to Attending Library and School Board Meetings
Make sure local officials know you support the library and access to books of all kinds by attending, listening, and speaking out against censorship.
uniteagainstbookbans.org
January 8, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
This has all happened in less than a year. Less than a year.

Tell your friends and family — if they’re still sitting this out, they’ve picked a side.

Resist this monstrous regime relentlessly.
Resist this evil imperial regime relentlessly.
January 8, 2026 at 3:00 AM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.
January 7, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
You and your wife drop your 6-year-old off at school. You just moved here. You see ICE terrorizing your new neighbors. You film them, as is your legal right. Your wife complies with orders. She is then shot in the head. You still have to pick up your child later today.

This could be you.
January 8, 2026 at 12:15 AM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
Mayor Jacob Frey: "They are already trying to spin this as an action of self defense. Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly that is bullshit."
January 7, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
I love you, Minneapolis
January 7, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
Immediately. They need to leave immediately.
A US citizen has apparently been shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis. I’m gathering information, but the situation on the ground is volatile.

ICE should leave now for everyone’s safety.
January 7, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
#Bookaday I added Newbery Medalist @kaaauthor.bsky.social's Wombat Waiting to my 2026 Books I Love presentation: www.pinterest.com/mrschureads/...
January 7, 2026 at 3:43 AM
Educators! Are you planning to read one of my books in the classroom this year?

Check out my Educator Resources page—it's full of discussion guides & activities for many of my books, including the "One and Only" series, #wishtree, #Odder, #PocketBear, & more. katherineapplegate.com/educator-res...
January 7, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
Bookelicious Presents 🎉

We’ve got 9 more author events lined up before the end of the school year! ✏️📚

Want your class to join? Click here: www.bookelicious.com/Educators/bo...

Don’t miss the chance for your students to meet amazing authors and bring stories to life!
January 6, 2026 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Katherine Applegate
I'm thinking about how grateful I am to make a living doing what I love.

Thank you, readers. I am one lucky author.

What are you grateful for?
January 5, 2026 at 5:04 PM
“They teach you things. They look after their young. The only thing missing is that they don’t speak Spanish.”

What a great story about the fight to save Colombia's cotton-top tamarin and the ripple effects on the entire ecosystem. #SaveTheEndlings
‘They’re a lot like us’: saving the tiny punk monkeys facing extinction
In the tropical dry forests of northern Colombia, a small team is gradually restoring the degraded habitat of the rare cotton-top tamarin
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:17 PM