Why was this book banned?

[Hoosierhawkeye]

So I think it's fair to say that if you've lost me on some socially conservative law then maybe you might want to really re-consider what you are doing.

So anyway my wife sent me something on FB that said that the book "The First Strawberries" was banned in Florida schools. I double checked her and it popped up on this website.

These 176 Books Were Banned in Duval County, Florida

PEN America and We Need Diverse Books are calling attention to 176 banned books that Duval, County, Florida removed from classroom libraries in January 2022 for “review,” and kept in storage.

pen.org

Now I've read that book to my children. I have no issue reading that book to my children. Can someone explain to me what's so terrible about this book?

I mean all the book is about is basically a married couple have a big fight, the woman walks away to leave him, the man feels bad about it, he walks after her. The sun takes pity the husband so he tries to slow the wife down by distracting her with fruit (because she likes to pick fruit) and she ignores all the fruit until she see's strawberries, she stops to pick the strawberries, the husband catches up and apologizes, they forgive each other and eat strawberries.

Like seriously I'm super careful about what my kids watch and read. This book gave me no pause.

I kind of suspect it's because the characters were not white but Cherokee and that likely pissed off some Karen.

 

[sober_teacher]

Honestly, it feels like we reached the point where someone simply objects to a book and it’s getting pulled to avoid any controversy.

this is why I laughed when right wingers blasted supposed #cancel culture. theyre doing the same thing here. Anything that makes someone uncomfortable, no matter the political persuasion, has to go.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Honestly, it feels like we reached the point where someone simply objects to a book and it’s getting pulled to avoid any controversy.

this is why I laughed when right wingers blasted supposed #cancel culture. theyre doing the same thing here. Anything that makes someone uncomfortable, no matter the political persuasion, has to go.

It's not cancel culture when they do it.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

I don't believe in "banning" or censoring any literature, media or person in our country. To do so goes against what's we're supposed to be all about. And I don't think books should be removed from school libraries. Kids are going to talk about, learn about and engage in explicit behavior no matter how sheltered their lives are. Those who think differently have forgotten their own upbringing.

 

[markfromj]

Kids are going to talk about, learn about and engage in explicit behavior no matter how sheltered their lives are.

But what we adults sanction/steer away from does influence them.

The “they’re going to do it away” view is a failure to lead.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

But what we adults sanction/steer away from does influence them.

The “they’re going to do it away” view is a failure to lead.

They're going to do it anyway is reality. The only failure is on the religious side in realizing that nature overrules myth.