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kelly jensen

@heykellyjensen

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Author of books for young adults @algonquinyr
Editor for @bookriot
Freedom to read champion, Chicagoland yoga teacher, lover of cats and bunnies.

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“What can I do to learn about book censorship and help put a stop to it?” This question and variations thereof continue to be the most common ones I come across. The answer is not just to buy the books. That is an act of consumerism, and while it has value, meaning, and purpose — especially for living authors whose works and lives are under attack — it is not a step toward ending book bans. It is a myth that book bans increase book sales and “help” an author whose work has been targeted. It is also a myth that book bans encourage young people to obtain the banned title.Rather than offer a traditional “how to fight book bans in 2026” guide, I’ve compiled a list of ideas for things you can do not only effectively to fight against book censorship but that also will increase your own knowledge, vocabulary, and fluency in the world of censorship as it is right now. There are 60 tasks, one for each week, plus a few bonus tasks. This allows you to choose one task per week if you’d like. If you’re looking for more ideas or opportunities to do more, try to complete the whole list and/or supplement this year’s list with last year’s. Several of the tasks on this year’s list that were also on last year’s are ongoing tasks: you’ll want to keep tabs on your local school or library board meetings more than one time through the year, or be familiar with who your state and federal representatives are, for example.Not everything on this list will apply to every person, though most will. These are all adaptable to your personal situation. While some of the tasks might feel duplicative, that’s by design. Everyone has to learn what type of activism and advocacy works for them. Try things out, learn what is sustainable in your life, and lean into this with curiosity. No one is coming to save us. We must save ourselves. These are OUR rights. Tinyurl.com/fight-bans-2026 by @heykellyjensen

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7 months ago

It was hardly 24 hours after the election results came in that people were asking me what to do to save the books. It's frustrating, really, because so many folks have been sharing very actionable things since 2021 when this wave of book banning began. Nothing that could be included in a "what to do" would be new. We so often want an easy answer. We want to believe so much that buying the books is the answer because we've grown up in a capitalist system where buying things is sold as the solution. Unfortunately, no amount of buying the damn books will save what's actually at stake here: public institutions of democracy like libraries and schools and vulnerable populations of people. No book buses nor book giveaways nor private libraries you're curating for the end times will do anything to solve the actual problem. Those are cute. They can raise awareness.But they are not action. So here's the deal: I put together a massive list. There's a little over one task per week–all of them small!–that you can do to fight book bans and advocate for your public goods. There are myriad examples linked in these tasks. You have absolutely no excuse not to do something if you care enough about this issue. Again: none of these are big tasks. Also included is a document you can use to track what you do and what it felt like. We learn through reflection, and one way you'll discover the strengths you have as an advocate is through writing about what did or did not work for you and what you might do differently. No one is coming to save us. We need to show up and do the hard work to save the things we love ourselves. Full link is on every image, but you can also go to tinyurl.com/tasks-2025. None of this could be made any easier. by @heykellyjensen

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2 years ago

It was a really hot August day in 2024, just after my daughter started her second year of school. A friend connected me with a call on Facebook for a photoshoot related to a future picture book, and when I learned what book series the shoot was for–and what the theme was–I was stoked when we got the "please come with your kid in costume."My daughter hung out with a group of becostumed kids playing Halloween for hours. It was a lot of fun, and it was neat to watch a picture book come to life with photography.WHAT THE DINOSAURS DID ON HALLOWEEN came out this week, and you can see my kiddo in her adorable costume in it. I told her this morning I had a surprise, and she lost her mind over the book (dinosaurs and Halloween are perennial favorites!). When we got to this page, I asked if it looked familiar and she definitely remembered that the little bee was her. This series is a hit here, so that she got to be in it is such a neat experience. by @heykellyjensen

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a day ago

I used to do glass fusing a lot before the pandemic and then parenthood hit. This weekend, I took my first class in years and boy, did I ever miss it. I am so pleased with how these plant pokes turned out, and as soon as I left the session, I began looking up how much an entry-level kiln might cost (too much is the answer). In the mean time, I guess I'll be signing up for more art and craft classes in the fall because boy, it refills my cup. by @heykellyjensen

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4 days ago

So appreciated the sticker @toni_mclellan surprised me with. It is tiring work and frustrating work and work that people want to censor, too, but freedom isn’t handed to us. We have to work for it every single day. Too many people in this country are not free. Their freedom—to read and to simply BE—is worth the effort. by @heykellyjensen

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7 days ago

June was an excellent month. It began in Iceland and ended in Chicago. In between were bubble machines, a surprise find in my kid’s dresser from my grandparents’ wedding, several storms (including one that took out power for a day), a 19th wedding anniversary, Pride celebrations, s’mores in the backyard, blossoms and blooms, doing democracy, and lots of good music. by @heykellyjensen

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24 days ago

ALA 2026 was best for everything off the floor and outside the official conference. I loved working the Books Unbanned booth, of course, and talking with so many folks about this fantastic program. But I had a lot of meaningful time around in the quieter moments—breakfasts with so many people who I know and admire and love talking with. I had some fun with my long time friend @lizbteacozy over desserts (Palmer House’s brownie). We made out of perfume and had a fancy afternoon tea service, too. I got to see @papersquared and spend an evening at a fancy queer lit event, with a wonderful cab ride chat after. There was rainbow cone in the park and people watching. Lots of impromptu run-ins with wonderful people I’m so lucky to know. It was nice to refill my cup a bit, especially with the show in my backyard. by @heykellyjensen

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a month ago

I grew my hair out for a year and not only was I in need of a trim, I was ready to go dark again. I don’t hate having gray hair—have had it since I was about 25–but man does fresh color feel good. This is the hair I wish I’d had as a teenager. Glad my inner adolescent gets to have it now. by @heykellyjensen

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a month ago

It took until June 6 but here’s a photo dump of non-travel May adventures. The family did two races—one to begin the month and one to end it. Kiddo made a lot of art and with the help of her teacher, wrote her first book. It’s about Super Kitties saving the city from a monster with the help of dinosaurs. We said goodbye to my aunt, spent a lot of time with animals, and observed a busy superhighway for birds with all the feeders filled. I had the honor of being in conversation with R.F. Kuang for Illinois libraries and am still in awe of how smart and how INTERESTING she is (also that I got to do this at all!). I got a brick for Mother’s Day, which is my favorite thing to ever get for a present (it’s a decorative paver but it’s definitely too fragile for outside with all the gems). by @heykellyjensen

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2 months ago

On the last day of my trip, I went on a puffin tour. It was nice and early, and the boat out to see these little guys was lovey. So. Many. Puffins! I had no idea they could live for 25 years, and each year, they return to the same burrow to (hopefully) lay their single egg. They’re so funny shaped, and they are not super steady on their little feet. But they sure can dive and they sure are cute. The captain pointed out a single guillemot hanging out on the rocks, too, who they’d all taken to calling Mark. We also stumbled upon the Danish military ship. Post-puffins, I took a walk around Reykjavík, enjoying the colorful flowers and greenhouses galore. The island can be entirely self-sustaining, thanks to where and how they use greenhouses across the country. And then right before I got on the plane to head home, I enjoyed two of Iceland’s biggest delicacies: hot dogs. Everyone who said they were unlike any hot dog I’d ever had were absolutely correct. I had one, then decided I needed a second. So, so good. The only goods I brought back with me? A stuffed puffin for my kiddo (her request), two shirts for my husband, and half a duffel bag full of black licorice treats. I love black licorice and so being in a country where that is common meant being a literal kid in the best candy shop in the world. The first treat I broke into was a chocolate bar with black licorice inside and it was the freshest, crispest licorice ever. What a trip. I could have not had a better time, and I absolutely did not know just how much I needed it until I got back home. by @heykellyjensen

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2 months ago

The second half of day two—the long bus tour on Iceland’s South Coast—included a stop at the Diamond Beach. This is where chunks of ice coming off the glaciers pile up on the black sand and look like, well, diamonds. The tour bus driver said that the day we came was unlike any he’d seen before. These chunks of ice were monstrously big; you can see some are taller than me. What a sight! We then crossed the bridge and headed to the Jokulasarlon Glacier Lagoon. I hopped on a boat to see giant icebergs up close. The ones you see with black in them are from volcanic ash being layered inside the ice. And yes, many are this unreal shade of blue! On the boat, the guide brought up a fresh piece of ice that I got to hold and taste. After the boat, we got back into the bus and stopped again in Vik. The guide suggested dinner at the gas station cafe but I instead walked next door to a place I’d read about that makes pizza on black crust. It’s activated charcoal meant to mimic the black sand. The pizza was fine! I think the concept was more interesting than the taste but that’s the point sometimes. Before returning to Reykjavík, we stopped at one more waterfall. Seljalandsfoss is the famous fall you can walk behind and it’s spectacular! I was extremely tired and after climbing the stairs to go behind it, noticed it was all uneven rocks for a long walk and opted out since I wasn’t wearing amazing shoes (and it was very, very wet between the falls and actual rain). But even from the side, it was an absolute marvel. The tour was long but worth it. I saw so much of the country and the big tourist highlights. When I got back to the hotel, I promptly crashed. The final photo is a glacier arm, which we could see from the bus. One more day of Iceland fun to come! by @heykellyjensen

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2 months ago

On my second day in Iceland, I took a 14-hour bus trip across the southern coast. This first batch of photos are from Stjonarfoss Waterfall, where a family of goats were playing on the mountain behind me. It was unbelievably beautiful—the first falls we stopped at but not the first we saw. Everywhere, waterfalls and mountains and amazingly unique landscapes carved by the volcanoes over generations. Before the falls, we made a quick stop in Vik to grab snacks. Behind the gas station was one of the famous black sand beaches, along with the famous formations in the water. Those Reynisdrangar Stacks are sea cliffs, with folklore saying they depict two trolls helping drag a ship to shore. The world building and lore of the island were such a blast to hear about. Learning so much about the role of volcanic ash to the country was neat, too. More on that in the next batch of photos. I was one of the older people on this particular tour and also apparently one of the only ones who found the guide’s humor to be funny. But I am of the Scandinavian people, and I suspect she knew that, too, as I delighted in her saying “Yensen,” whenever doing a headcount. by @heykellyjensen

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2 months ago