“Freckleface Strawberry,” a children’s book authored by Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore, is being reprinted after a surge in demand followed news that it had been removed from schools serving US military families during the Trump administration.
It was on February 16 that Moore posted on Instagram that she was in “great shock” after learning her 2007 book had been banned in schools operated by the US Department of Defense. The book is the story of a little girl who learns to love her freckles and red hair and is a celebration of self-acceptance and individuality.
The scandal began after a Pentagon memorandum revealed that all books in around 160 US military schools worldwide were temporarily pulled out for a “compliance review.” The aim of the review was to filter out material dealing with “gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology,” reflecting the administration’s efforts to reshape educational content.
By Feb. 20, Moore announced “Freckleface Strawberry” was returning to print due to a show of support and a “deluge of orders.” In her post, she described her book readings and how she attempts to make children understand that being different is something that everyone goes through.
The Trump White House has labeled accusations of censorship a “hoax,” yet critics contend the Pentagon’s actions are designed to muzzle classroom discussion of diversity, gender, and race. Recent executive orders portend stricter controls on educational content, which is setting off alarms about free expression.
In response to accelerated book banning, the “Big Five” publishers—Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster—have signed on to a suit challenging US school and library bans, fighting legislation that limits access to certain books. The debate continues to highlight the contentious issues of literature access and censorship in schools.
