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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsJulianne Moore said in February 2025 that she was “truly saddened” after learning that Freckleface Strawberry had been banned from schools run by the Department of Defense. Contemporaneous reporting, however, established that the picture book appeared in a DoDEA library compliance review—not that it was permanently banned or removed. The agency said no materials had been permanently removed while the review was underway, and the book’s eventual disposition was not established in the reporting.
What happened to Freckleface Strawberry?
On February 16, 2025, Moore posted on Instagram that she was shocked to learn her first book had been banned from schools run by the Department of Defense. The Guardian reported the next day that the title appeared on a list of library books suspended for a compliance review following an executive order. A Defense Department memo described an examination of books potentially related to “gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology topics.”
The Guardian reported that library access had been suspended for a week and that a small number of items were retained for further review. It specifically said it was not known whether Freckleface Strawberry had been selected for additional review or withdrawal. The Guardian’s February 17 report documents the distinction between the review and a confirmed outcome for this specific title.
What did DoDEA say about removal?
On February 20, 2025, DoDEA public affairs officer Michael O’Day told Lead Stories that the agency was reviewing policies and instructional resources in light of executive orders and Defense Department guidance. He said: “At this time, we are conducting a review – no materials have been permanently removed from our school libraries pending completion of the review. During this period, materials under review will have access limited to professional staff.”
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That statement described restricted access during the review, not a final decision about every title on the list. Lead Stories’ account of DoDEA’s statement is the clearest contemporaneous official explanation in the reporting. The available accounts do not establish what happened to the book after the initial review.
What is the book about?
Freckleface Strawberry, written by Julianne Moore and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is a picture book about a redheaded girl learning to live with her freckles. Its subject is self-acceptance, rather than the topics named in the Defense Department memo. The publisher’s book page identifies the book and describes its premise.
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Moore said she wrote it for her children and other kids “to remind them that we all struggle, but are united by our humanity and our community.” The Guardian reproduced that line from her post. PEN America also listed the book among titles flagged in the DoD schools review; it characterized the review as occurring amid executive orders restricting discussion of transgender people and diversity, equity, and inclusion. That broader characterization is PEN America’s account, not a statement from DoDEA. PEN America’s February 19, 2025 account reported a DoDEA community scale of 67,000 children of U.S. service members around the world; that is its reported figure, not a verified current enrollment count.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did Moore call it banned?
Moore’s post described what she had learned as a ban. She wrote: “I am truly saddened and never thought I would see this in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right.” She also connected the issue to her own background: she graduated from Frankfurt American High School, a former DoD school in Germany, and her father served in Vietnam. The Guardian reproduced her remarks and reported the school and family context.
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The word “banned” therefore reflects Moore’s public description and the book’s appearance in a review process, but the contemporaneous reporting did not confirm permanent removal. These are distinct stages: temporary staff-only access, selection for additional review, and a final withdrawal decision. The sources document the first as DoDEA’s stated process and leave the title-specific status of the latter two uncertain.
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