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Karen Jensen, MLS

@tltkaren

Blog TeenLibrarianToolbox.com Librarian: Teen/YA/Youth Swiftie (of the senior variety) Against Book Banning Wife, Mom, No Domestic Skills or Ambitions Did I mention Librarian?

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07.07.2023
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Latest posts by Karen Jensen, MLS @tltkaren

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AI Chatbots Recommend Calorie-Starved Diets for Teens, Study Warns Five of the major AI chatbots were tested. All of them regularly proposed dietary plans akin to skipping an entire meal each day.

"AI Chatbots Recommend Calorie-Starved Diets for Teens, Study Warns"

"Five of the major AI chatbots were tested. All of them regularly proposed dietary plans akin to skipping an entire meal each day."

gizmodo.com/ai-chatbots-...

#AIIsTheProblem #TLSky #EduSky #SchoolLibrarians #TechLit

12.03.2026 22:05 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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A Place to Be Planted: Giving Teens Hope Through Realistic Fiction, a guest post by Delali Adjoa I truly believe that an empathic voice can mean the difference between a triumph and a tragedy for a teen life.

A Place to Be Planted: Giving Teens Hope Through Realistic Fiction, a guest post by Delali Adjoa

I truly believe that an empathic voice can mean the difference between a triumph and a tragedy for a teen life.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/03/12/a... @tltkaren.bsky.social

12.03.2026 10:58 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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It’s Okay to Be Messy: Why I Write Flawed Heroes for Middle Grade Readers, a guest post by Scott Kurtz I want kids to know it is okay to be messy while you are learning.

It’s Okay to Be Messy: Why I Write Flawed Heroes for Middle Grade Readers, a guest post by Scott Kurtz

I want kids to know it is okay to be messy while you are learning.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/03/11/i... @tltkaren.bsky.social

11.03.2026 10:55 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Unpacking BAD KID: My Life as a β€œTroubled Teen,” a guest post by Sofia Szamosi There are no β€œbad kids,” only hard situations and struggling relationships. And relationships can always be healed.

Unpacking BAD KID: My Life as a β€œTroubled Teen,” a guest post by Sofia Szamosi

There are no β€œbad kids,” only hard situations and struggling relationships. And relationships can always be healed.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/03/10/u... @tltkaren.bsky.social

10.03.2026 10:58 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Fast Five Interview: Nadine Takvorian Author Nadine Takvorian joins us to talk about her new graphic novel, ARMAVENI.

Fast Five Interview: Nadine Takvorian

Author Nadine Takvorian joins us to talk about her new graphic novel, ARMAVENI.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/03/09/f... @tltkaren.bsky.social

09.03.2026 11:12 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Well, gas is expensive, and food is expensive, and we’re doing a war nobody wants, but at least there are no jobs

06.03.2026 19:47 πŸ‘ 30346 πŸ” 7524 πŸ’¬ 224 πŸ“Œ 238
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Not Just Greta: True stories of youth acting to fight the climate crisis, a guest post by Meera Subramanian A Better World Is Possible: Global Youth Confront the Climate Crisis tells the stories of four real-life youth who were instrumental in making the New York City protest such a success.

Not Just Greta: True stories of youth acting to fight the climate crisis, a guest post by Meera Subramanian

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/03/06/n... @tltkaren.bsky.social

06.03.2026 14:08 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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PETITION: Don't Let the Federal Government Regulate Your Reading Not one country's freedom and liberty has ever been increased by banning books.

The federal government should not decide what your kids are allowed to read.

Oppose the Federal Book Ban bill!

Sign the petition and defend the freedom to read.

action.everylibrary.org/hr_7661 via @everylibrary.bsky.social

05.03.2026 01:26 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 10 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Can I Do a Good Job at This Today? A guest post by Christina Uss May all libraries everywhere provide a haven to those who worry whether they’re good enough just as they are.

Can I Do a Good Job at This Today? A guest post by Christina Uss

May all libraries everywhere provide a haven to those who worry whether they’re good enough just as they are.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/03/04/c... @tltkaren.bsky.social

04.03.2026 11:54 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The Impossible Love Triangle, a guest post by Ahmad Saber It brings me great pride and honor to be able to finally share Ramin’s story with its readers. Not only for the target audience (queer teen readers), but readers at large who’d like to explore the human condition.

The Impossible Love Triangle, a guest post by Ahmad Saber

It brings me great pride to finally share Ramin’s story, not only for the target audience (queer teen readers), but readers at large who’d like to explore the human condition.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/03/02/t... @tltkaren.bsky.social

02.03.2026 11:55 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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How Our Stories Haunt Us, a guest post by Shakirah Bourne When I was a kid growing up in Barbados, I used to play in the graveyard at Christ Church Parish Church. I was fascinated by the story of the Chase Vaultβ€”one of the strangest unsolved mysteries in the world.

How Our Stories Haunt Us, a guest post by Shakirah Bourne

When I was a kid growing up in Barbados, I used to play in a graveyard. I was fascinated by the story of the Chase Vaultβ€”one of the strangest unsolved mysteries in the world.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/02/27/h... @tltkaren.bsky.social

27.02.2026 12:05 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I guess we’re going to destroy our country and others to protect the 3 Rs: racists, rapists and rich people

28.02.2026 13:45 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Penguin Young Readers Showcase: February 2026 Books Explore 20 new books for all ages!

Penguin Young Readers Showcase: February 2026 Books

Explore 20 new books for all ages!

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/02/25/p... @tltkaren.bsky.social @penguinschoollib.bsky.social

25.02.2026 12:11 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I would like to recommend that you not get Flu B

25.02.2026 00:41 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

The over-romancification of the YA category is an atrocity that needs to be remedied. I want to pick up a recent YA contemporary or fantasy novel where the focus isn't almost exclusively on romance and it's been harder and harder lately.

24.02.2026 18:34 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Is there any apparel out there that a person can buy to specifically support the USA Women’s Hockey Team and the women’s team only? Asking for friend

24.02.2026 15:22 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Yay!!!

23.02.2026 23:16 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Fast Five Interview: Michael P. Spradlin Author Michael P. Spradlin joins us to talk about his new book, The Spider Strikes.

Fast Five Interview: Michael P. Spradlin

Author Michael P. Spradlin joins us to talk about his new book, The Spider Strikes.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/02/23/f... @tltkaren.bsky.social

23.02.2026 11:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Book Mail: 20 New and Forthcoming Books Monsters, pet rocks, an environmental club, a lost dog, a forest-dwelling boy, an Ojibwe skater, and more!

Book Mail: 20 New and Forthcoming Books

Monsters, pet rocks, an environmental club, a lost dog, a forest-dwelling boy, an Ojibwe skater, and more!

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/02/19/b... @tltkaren.bsky.social

19.02.2026 23:22 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Hey, everyone. North Minneapolis schools need your help. They've each raised tens of thousands for their families in January, and have to do it all over again now. This one school still needs thirty thousand dollars to keep families housed and fed. Can you help?

19.02.2026 14:39 πŸ‘ 42 πŸ” 56 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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My Life with Sylvia Plath: A Reader’s Reflection, a guest post by R.L. Toalson Sometimes it seemed like she had climbed into my head, plucked out the words, and recorded them in her journal, fifty years before I’d thought them.

My Life with Sylvia Plath: A Reader’s Reflection, a guest post by R.L. Toalson

Sometimes it seemed like she had climbed into my head, plucked out the words, and recorded them in her journal, fifty years before I’d thought them.

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/02/16/m... @tltkaren.bsky.social

16.02.2026 14:07 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

Gonna need people to support middle grade and YA titles bc where do we think adult readers come from!! If kids don’t have good books to read from like 8 - 12 they are going to stop reading 😭😭😭😭

15.02.2026 14:23 πŸ‘ 627 πŸ” 189 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 0

Genius

14.02.2026 00:16 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Call your Senators friends. I know I will be.

12.02.2026 13:50 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

MINNESOTA IS NOT OK. EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE TALKING ABOUT MINNESOTA… THEY ARE LITERALLY FEEDING FAMILIES THROUGH UNDERGROUND RAILROAD STYLE ROUTES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND APPARENTLY HELICOPTERS AND DRONES FLY OVERHEAD CONSTANTLY EVEN THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

11.02.2026 00:41 πŸ‘ 932 πŸ” 409 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 12
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PENGUIN TBR February 2026: THE MOON WITHOUT STARS, SUNDOWN GIRLS, THE CELESTIAL SEAS, and THE ESCAPE GAME The February Penguin TBR has landed with reviews for THE MOON WITHOUT STARS, SUNDOWN GIRLS, THE CELESTIAL SEAS, and THE ESCAPE GAME

PENGUIN TBR February 2026: THE MOON WITHOUT STARS, SUNDOWN GIRLS, THE CELESTIAL SEAS, and THE ESCAPE GAME

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/02/09/p... @tltkaren.bsky.social

10.02.2026 11:50 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Muslims Are Not a Monolith β€” Our Stories Shouldn’t Be Monolithic Either, a guest post by Seema Yasmin Writing the middle grade biographical series, Muslim Mavericks, means stepping into lives wildly different from my ownβ€”from disabled comedians to trailblazing Olympiansβ€”and learning to tell Muslim sto...

Muslims Are Not a Monolith β€” Our Stories Shouldn’t Be Monolithic Either, a guest post by Seema Yasmin

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2026/02/09/m... @tltkaren.bsky.social

09.02.2026 11:59 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

We loved it!!

09.02.2026 01:38 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

That boxer came on my tv and I said to my daughter, β€œthat man is a rapist.”

Then I see who he is making a commercial for. Because of course he is.

09.02.2026 01:37 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I also couldn’t tell and want to know

09.02.2026 01:36 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0