Amanda Gorman’s poem for Biden’s inauguration barred for younger children by Florida school
May 25, 2023 GMTFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A poem written for President Joe Biden's inauguration has been placed on a restricted list at a South Florida elementary school after one parent's complaint.
Montana first to ban people dressed in drag from reading to children in schools, libraries
May 24, 2023 GMTHELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana has become the first state to specifically ban people dressed in drag from reading books to children at public schools and libraries, part of a host of legislation aimed at the rights the LGBTQ+ community in Montana and other states.
Bill to restrict youth access to ‘sexually explicit’ public library books advances in Louisiana
May 24, 2023 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Activists in Louisiana are voicing concerns over a bill advancing through the GOP-controlled Legislature to restrict children and teens' access to public library books deemed “sexually explicit,” saying the proposal could be used to target LGBTQ+ content.
Utah kids’ book author accused in husband’s killing changed life insurance policies, prosecutors say
May 19, 2023 GMTSALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah woman who wrote a children’s book about grief after her husband’s death and was later arrested on accusations of killing him made changes to her husband’s life insurance years before he was fatally poisoned, according to charging documents updated Thursday.
CHICAGO (AP) — Holed up at home during the pandemic lockdown three years ago, 13-year-old Shreya Nallamothu was scrolling through social media when she noticed a pattern: Children even younger than her were the stars — dancing, cracking one-liners and being generally adorable.
Newton Minow, ex-FCC chief who dubbed TV ‘wasteland,’ dies
May 7, 2023 GMTCHICAGO (AP) — Newton N. Minow, who as Federal Communications Commission chief in the early 1960s famously proclaimed that network television was a "vast wasteland," died Saturday. He was 97.
Minow, who received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, died Saturday at home, surrounded by loved ones, said his daughter, Nell Minow.
Book invites kids to turn native gardens into national park
April 20, 2023 GMTDoug Tallamy, the wildlife ecologist and entomologist who urges home gardeners to join forces and create a pollinator-friendly “Homegrown National Park,” is now bringing kids into the effort.
Grand jury indicts Alaska illustrator on threat charges
April 15, 2023 GMTJUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A grand jury has indicted an Alaska children’s book illustrator on charges of terroristic threatening after authorities said he posted around the capital city transphobic notes that referenced shooting children.
Hearing pushed back for Alaska illustrator on threat charge
April 12, 2023 GMTJUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A court hearing was pushed back until next week for an Alaska children's book illustrator charged with terroristic threatening after authorities said he posted around the capital city transphobic notes that referenced shooting children.
Dalai Lama apologizes after video shows him kissing boy
April 11, 2023 GMTDHARAMSALA, India (AP) — Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama apologized Monday after a video showing him kissing a child on the lips triggered criticism.
A statement posted on his official website said the 87-year-old leader regretted the incident and wished to "apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.”
Jill Biden keeps ‘EGGucation’ theme for Easter Egg Roll
April 6, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden wants the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll to be about more than just coaxing hard-boiled eggs across the lawn to a finish line.
Publisher drops children’s illustrator for anti-trans notes
April 5, 2023 GMTJUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A children's book illustrator from Alaska known for drawing mother-baby animal pairs like sea otters and wolves was dropped by his publisher this week after authorities allege he posted transphobic notes threatening children.
Alaskan charged for transphobic notes threatening students
April 4, 2023 GMTJUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A children’s book illustrator has been charged in Alaska with terroristic threatening after police allege he posted anti-transgender notes that referenced shooting children.
Lanterns and crescents: more retailers court Ramadan buyers
April 1, 2023 GMTWith her 3-year-old daughter sitting inside a red Target shopping cart, Aya Khalil looked through the aisles with anticipation. The author was on a mission: See for herself that her children's book about a boy and his grandmother baking for an Islamic feast was actually carried by her local Target store in Toledo.
School library book bans are seen as targeting LGBTQ content
March 20, 2023 GMTDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Teri Patrick bristles at the idea she wants to ban books about LGBTQ issues in Iowa schools, arguing her only goal is ridding schools of sexually explicit material.
Sara Hayden Parris says that whatever you want to call it, it's wrong for some parents to think a book shouldn't be readily available to any child if it isn’t right for their own child.
Librarian fired for ‘unkind pushback’ at conservative event
March 17, 2023 GMTHENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A library director in Tennessee has been fired after the actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron accused him of “unkind pushback” to visiting celebrities during a conservative event last month, officials said.
Author Ian Falconer of ‘Olivia’ books for children dies
March 8, 2023 GMTNORWALK, Conn. (AP) — Author and illustrator Ian Woodward Falconer, known for his “Olivia” book series for children, has died.
Falconer’s lawyer and agent Conrad M. Rippy said Falconer died Tuesday of natural causes while with family in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Ex-TV doctor sentenced for asking child for naked pictures
March 6, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Dr. Bruce Hensel, former medical correspondent for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, pleaded no contest Monday to charges he solicited nude pictures from a child.
Hensel was arrested in 2019 after prosecutors said he used a messaging app to request suggestive photos from the 9-year-old daughter of an acquaintance.
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Penguin to publish ‘classic’ Roald Dahl books after backlash
February 24, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Publisher Penguin Random House announced Friday it will publish “classic” unexpurgated versions of Roald Dahl’s children’s novels after it received criticism for cuts and rewrites that were intended to make the books suitable for modern readers.
TV reporter, 9-year-old girl fatally shot in Florida, authorities say
February 23, 2023 GMTA central Florida television journalist and a little girl were fatally shot Wednesday afternoon near the scene of a fatal shooting from earlier in the day, authorities said.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a news conference that they’ve detained Keith Melvin Moses, 19, who they believe is responsible for both shootings in the Orlando-area neighborhood.
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Man admits seeking to have his child porn victim killed
February 3, 2023 GMTCAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey man who exchanged sexually explicit videos and images with a 13-year-old New York girl has admitted paying $20,000 in bitcoin to have the child victim murdered before eventually calling it off.
Colin Quinn’s new show highlights the art of ‘Small Talk’
February 1, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — When asked in a recent interview if he’ll always want to do stand-up, Colin Quinn joked that he’s tired and can't do it forever. Then the 63-year-old comedian launched into the “magic” he feels onstage when getting a laugh, and sheepishly admitted he’ll probably never give it up.
Amina Luqman-Dawson’s ‘Freewater’ wins John Newbery Medal
January 30, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — For years, Amina Luqman-Dawson made time to write a children's book she calls her "little quiet project," a historical adventure about a community of escaped slaves that she completed while raising a son and working as a policy consultant and researcher on education and domestic violence.
Alaska library board keeps LGBTQ books in youth sections
January 26, 2023 GMTHOMER, Alaska (AP) — An advisory board overseeing a public library in Alaska has voted to keep scores of books containing supposed LGBTQ themes in the children’s and young adult sections instead of moving them to a separate location after complaints were made.
Lloyd Morrisett, who helped launch ‘Sesame Street,’ dies
January 25, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Lloyd Morrisett, the co-creator of the beloved children's education TV series “Sesame Street,” which uses empathy and fuzzy monsters like Abby Cadabby, Elmo and Cookie Monster to charm and teach generations around the world, has died.
Former Louisiana deputy pleads guilty in sex-crimes case
January 3, 2023 GMTLIVINGSTON, La. (AP) — A former Louisiana sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty Tuesday to several sex crimes involving children and was sentenced to 100 years in prison as part of a plea deal.
Dennis Perkins, a former high-ranking deputy with the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, faced 150 counts of sex crimes when he was arrested in 2019.
Bail granted for 1 of 8 Canadian girls charged with murder
December 29, 2022 GMTTORONTO (AP) — One of eight teenage girls charged with killing a 59-year-old man in downtown Toronto earlier this month was granted bail by an Ontario judge Thursday.
Toronto police say three 13-year-olds, three 14-year-olds, and two 16-year-olds swarmed and stabbed the man on Dec.
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