The Trump administration banned Julianne Moore's book from certain schools, which is about how to live with freckles: The actress responded in disbelief on Instagram

Julianne Moore, the Oscar-winning actress from Still Alice, shared on Instagram that her children’s book, Freckleface Strawberry, was banned in Department of Defense schools, which provide education for the families of military personnel stationed overseas. This was brought to her attention by the literary activist group, Pen America, which revealed that the Trump administration had placed several books on the banned list in schools under the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).

Published in 2007, Freckleface Strawberry tells the story of a little girl who has to live with her freckles. According to the synopsis, it is a "charming tale" about a girl who "is different... just like everyone else." The book became a bestseller, inspired several sequels, and even led to a musical adaptation. Moore doesn't quite understand what the government’s issue with the book could have been:

"It was a huge shock to me that the Trump administration banned my first book, Freckleface Strawberry, in Department of Defense schools. It’s a semi-autobiographical story about a seven-year-old girl who doesn’t like her freckles, but over time she learns to live with them when she realizes that she is just like everyone else. It was written for my children and other kids to remind them that we all struggle with something, but our humanity and our community are what bind us together."

The actress was particularly shocked because she herself attended a DoDEA high school in Frankfurt (her father was a Vietnam War veteran). She is frustrated that children growing up in similar circumstances won’t have access to a book written by someone who shares experiences like theirs. Moore states that she never thought something like this could happen "in a country where freedom of speech and free expression are constitutional rights."

According to The Washington Post, on February 10, the Department of Defense sent out a memo informing schools that several books had been removed from the curriculum by government order and would undergo review. Alongside Freckleface Strawberry, the list also included Becoming Nicole, the memoir of transgender actress Nicole Maines.