Mem Fox, one of the most popular Australian author’s books, “Mem Fox” has been in the headlines lately. But, first, there was news that Florida governor Ron DeSantis banned the book in the Jacksonville County of Duval. After much buzz, reality came to the surface. So many books are under review for their content in school, but “Guess What” is not among them.
Keep reading to know more about this latest news.
Reasons for Approval of the Book
The storyline of “Guess What” book revolves around a witch called Daisy O’Grady. In this illustration-based book, the witch is seen bathing in a sink. The picture shows her as too big for the double sink, with lots of chaos. Moreover, she is wearing a scuba mask. But her body is covered with limbs and other elements. Therefore, many consider it far from adultery as it shows the simple act of bathing.
However, the buzz about the ban was rejected by the officials. The Activist group Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP) looks after the “censorship action” in school libraries. But the Duval County Public Schools rejected the claim that the body didn’t remove the book. Reading books is integral to students as reading novels improves memory, language, and creativity. As a result, the concerned body continuously reviews books for their content.
What Officials Have to Say?
After this incident, an official from Duval County School said, “21 books [have] so far removed from our schools as a result of this statutorily required process”. “Almost 25,000 books have been approved for classroom use,” the spokesperson said. “We have published extensively on our work to comply with state laws regarding book reviews.”
But FFTRP maintained that Guess What? had been banned by Duval, even if it no longer was. “The truth has made for inconvenient and embarrassing headlines, and now it seems Duval may reverse their decision as they have in the past with other titles,” it said in a statement.
Also, “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” reminds of its ban. Many books are under review, and let’s see what is on the final approval list.
The Mem Fox’s book “Guess What?” is approved by the authorities and very much in school collections. Even though Fox said she doesn’t care much, even if the books are there or not. There have been no elements of adultery in the books, and it will continue to be approved.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.