© Gurihiru, Samuel Sattin, Osamu Tezuka, Scholastic
richmond observer Richmond County Schools in North Carolina removed all copies, the newspaper reported Thursday unique: Awakening For sale at academic book fairs in the area, pending review. The move follows a complaint from the mother of a first-grader at Mineral Springs Elementary School.
Scholastic publishes this series by Samuel Sattin and Gurishirocomic adaptation Osamu Tezukaof unique comic and describes the story:
unique It tells the story of a ferocious young unicorn who irritates the goddess Venus with her ability to inspire positivity and hope. Driven by jealousy, she vowed to destroy him and ordered her servant Zephyr to abandon Uniko in the Forgotten Hills. Instead, the West Wind took pity on Uniko and, to protect him, carried him from one age to another, constantly moving, always forgetting where he had been before. As he works to unravel the mystery of who he is and where he comes from, he is hunted by gods and monsters and needs to unleash his full power to save the world. Unique joins a cast of characters, some of whom – like the caretaker cat Chloe or the mysterious Sphinx – are brave and kind, while others – like the almighty Venus and her minions Ren Yefeng – bent on destruction.
The mother who made the complaint, Nikki Fletcher, said she was shocked by the graphic novel’s depictions of gun violence and animal cruelty, particularly when a man attacks a cat. Cameron Whitley, executive director of communications for the district, said richmond observer The district has removed the book from its Scholastic book fair events “to allow us time to review the issues and contact (S)cholastic.”
This series is suitable for ages 8-12 or grades 3-7.
Recent Comic Removals and Bans in the United States
Horry County Schools Relocation, South Carolina Matsui Yuseiof Assassination Classroom The comic was removed from the school library on Nov. 15 after the mother of a ninth-grade student at Socastee High School complained to the school district about its content. According to the district’s policy, the district’s review board’s decision “and local board review, if applicable,” cannot be challenged for five years.
Gifford Middle School in East Florida demolished Assassination Classroom The comic was pulled from its library in March 2023 after complaints from groups. The Elmbrook School District in southeastern Wisconsin similarly removed the comic from its electronic library that month after parents complained. The series has faced challenges in other states as well.
Brevard, Florida public school board bans Volume 1 Chunyuanxiangof Sasaki and Miyano boys love The comics were released in the district’s school libraries earlier this year during the Aug. 27 board meeting. One person in the area questioned whether the book would be included in school libraries on the grounds that “sexual orientation should not be encouraged, advised or indoctrinated into young people”. The complaint also included concerns that children would be “exposed to age-inappropriate, obscene and sexually explicit material” and that there was “no value in providing gay and lesbian books in schools”. The book is rated T for Teens.
Utah in August banned the sale of 13 non-comic books in all the state’s public schools, and under a new law, all 41 school districts in the state will ban the sale of books with pornographic or indecent content. Tennessee, Idaho and South Carolina have similar laws and regulations that allow books to be banned from school libraries across the state, according to the Associated Press.
Source: Richmond Observer (William R. Toler) via Otaku USA Magazine
