Julianne Moore Speaks Out After Her Children’s Book Gets Banned in Some Schools
Actress Julianne Moore Reveals Her Children’s Book ‘Freckleface Strawberry’ Was ‘Banned’ in Some Schools
The actress from “Still Alice” is speaking out after her favorite children’s book was placed on a restricted list, something she never anticipated.
After discovering that her children’s book, “Freckleface Strawberry,” has been prohibited in several U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)-run schools, Academy Award-winning actress and novelist Julianne Moore has expressed outrage.
On February 16, 2025, Moore expressed her disappointment with the decision on Instagram, blaming it on the Trump administration.
Moore wrote in her post that “Freckleface Strawberry” is a semi-autobiographical and intensely intimate tale of a seven-year-old girl who at first despises her freckles before coming to love them.
Self-acceptance is a lesson she created for kids, pointing out that “we all struggle, but are united by our humanity and our community.”
The 64-year-old actress, a proud alumnus of Frankfurt American High School, a former DoD school in Germany, voiced special dissatisfaction that her book would not be available to youngsters in comparable situations.
She emphasized her close military connections, pointing out that her father served in the U.S. Army for his whole career and was a Vietnam War veteran.
“It is galling for me to realize that kids like me, growing up with a parent in the service and attending a @dodea_edu school, will not have access to a book written by someone whose life experience is so similar to their own,” she tweeted.
Moore continued by stating, “And I can’t help but wonder what is so controversial about this picture book that cause it to be banned by the US Government.”
She also conveyed her sorrow about the limitation, reaffirming her support for the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the constitution.
Moore thanked PEN America, a group devoted to defending free speech, for drawing her attention to the problem as she wrapped out her piece.
“Freckleface Strawberry” was first published in 2007 and tells the story of a young girl who feels different because of her freckles and red hair, but else sees herself as just like everyone else.
Over time, she comes to appreciate these distinctive qualities and realizes that people are unique because of their originality. The book encourages ideas of confidence and self-acceptance and is written with young readers in mind.
According to the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which is in charge of military family schools, the restriction is a component of a continuous evaluation of educational resources.
DoDEA spokesperson Will Griffin said the agency is making sure two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump are followed.
In addition to restricting conversations about transgender issues, these orders aim to stop what the administration calls “radical indoctrination” in schools that support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Griffin clarified in a statement that DoDEA is now evaluating its instructional resources and library holdings.
For review purposes, books classified as “gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology,” as defined by Trump’s directives, are being temporarily moved to a different collection. Professional staff members are the only ones with access to these books during this process.
The Department of Defense is examining a “small number of items” that could be impacted by these restrictions, according to a recent memo that was disseminated by the agency.
One of the novels being examined is “Freckleface Strawberry,” which is written for young readers aged four to eight and narrates the tale of a young girl who comes to love her freckles.
Moore has already discussed how “Freckleface Strawberry” is incredibly intimate and inspired by her own early life.
She compared the main character to herself at the age of seven in a 2013 interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying that she was short, lively, and battling self-consciousness over her freckles.
She underlined that the heroine is a typical youngster overcoming obstacles in daily life rather than a princess or other supernatural figure.
Moore clarified that she takes into account what matters to a young child when she writes the novels.
“I think children’s concerns are different than adult concerns, and they see the world differently,” she stated. The former “Hannibal” star added that she wants to portray a child’s viewpoint rather than an adult’s looking back.
Stories in the “Freckleface Strawberry” series are based on actual incidents in Moore’s life. One of the books was inspired by her childhood memories of how much she hated dodgeball.
To prevent being the last person standing, she would purposefully move forward and take a hit early rather than running away from the game. “For me, dodgeball was torture,” she said, describing why she thought kids might relate to the game.
Moore has frequently made light of the fact that her children’s books are another medium through which she shares her life story. “I always make jokes, like when I talk about the books, I’m like, ‘They’re all autobiographies!'” she laughed.
Despite being fictional, the stories are nonetheless based on events that influenced her own early years.
Since its 2007 premiere, “Freckleface Strawberry” has been a well-liked television show that encourages kids to value their individuality.
The books are suitable for young readers because of their vivid graphics, straightforward text, and repeating phrase structures.
The books, which are part of the Step Into Reading program, are meant for kids who are starting to read on their own but might still require some assistance.
Concern has been raised by the ban of “Freckleface Strawberry” in certain military-run schools in the United States, especially for Julianne Moore, who based the novel on her own early years.
The controversy around book bans and their effects on children’s literature is still going strong as the Department of Defense examines its library holdings in light of new policy directives.
