School Bans Comic Book of Diary of Anne Frank Over “Sexually Explicit” Cartoon Statues
A Florida principal recently removed Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation from the Vero Beach High School library for its depictions of “sexually explicit” statues. The book was removed after a local chapter of the anti-LGBTQ+ group Moms for Liberty (MOL) complained about the book’s images and argued that it was “not a true adaptation of the Holocaust.” Jennifer Pippin, chair of MOL’s Indian River County chapter, complained about a scene in which Anne Frank walks past statues of nude women. “I must admit, every time I see a female nude, I go into ecstasy,” Frank’s words on the statue panel read. “If only I had a girlfriend!” This is a shorter version of the words that appeared in Anne Frank’s diary. Indian River County school district spokesperson Cristen Maddux told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), “[The graphic novel is] not the actual diary of Anne Frank. It’s a fictional novel that has some inappropriate content in it….[It] was removed due to minimization of the Holocaust.”
Geraldine Brooks, Lan Samantha Chang, and Saeed Jones Among This Year’s Winners of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
Novels by Geraldine Brooks and Lan Samantha Chang and poetry by Saeed Jones are among this year’s winners of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Journalist and activist Charlayne Hunter-Gault was also honored for lifetime achievement. The award is presented to literature “that confronts racism and explores diversity.” Jury chair Henry Louis Gates Jr. said in a statement, “These remarkable books deliver groundbreaking insights on race and diversity…All are capped by the lifetime achievement of Charlayne Hunter-Gault, who remade this country with her courage and her nuanced reporting.”
Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with Libro.fm
Get ready for Independent Bookstore Day with Libro.fm! Independent Bookstore Day occurs every year on the last Saturday of April. It celebrates local bookstores and the many ways they contribute to their communities. From Monday, April 24th through Sunday, April 30th, the online audiobook retailer will offer a limited-time sale on a wide variety of bestselling books. All purchases support your local bookstore.
Your Study Guide to Light Academia
Love dark academia? We’d love to introduce you to the light academia sub-genre. Find your guide here.