Steve Martin 'so proud:' Did Florida county school district really ban his book 'Shopgirl'?

Was Steve Martin's book "Shopgirl" banned in Florida libraries?

Not exactly.

After the "Only Murders in the Building" actor went viral on Facebook and Instagram for calling out Collier County School District for removing his 2000 novella from library shelves, social media has been on fire with reactions.

Martin's book is one of almost 300 that are being pulled from Collier County school libraries because of a recent bill that allows schools to limit materials that mention sex, gender, pronouns and reproductive health in the classroom.

Is a book removal or the phrase "pulled from shelves" the same as a book ban? It's tricky. Here's our explainer and what we know about Steve Martin, his book "Shopgirl" being removed from Collier County shelves and his clapback to the Florida school district.

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What happened with Steve Martin and Collier County School District?

Collier County School District plans to restrict almost 400 books that their media specialists believe violate Florida HB 1069, a Naples Daily News story states. More than 300 titles are being pulled from school libraries, and about 100 will be restricted to certain grade levels or will need a parent's permission to read. Martin's book was pulled from school libraries in Collier County, and he reacted to the news with a clapback on his social media accounts. His followers total more than 3.8 million followers on two of his platforms.

A helpful guide to what's going on: Collier County schools plan on banning or restricting nearly 400 books from libraries

What did Steve Martin say about 'Shopgirl' and Collier County?

Actor Steve Martin ("Three Amigos," "Father of the Bride" films, "The Jerk") posted a short message on his Facebook page to his 3.2 million followers on Nov. 6, and the post about his book "Shopgirl" quickly went viral: "So proud to have my book Shopgirl banned in Collier County, Florida! Now people who want to read it will have to buy a copy!" The "Bright Star" creator included a link to purchase his book. Several comments responded about the movie of the same name.

As of Wednesday, Nov. 8, the post had almost 60,000 likes, almost 5,000 comments and about 3,000 shares.

The "SNL" actor also posted about it on his Instagram account, @stevemartinreally. On that platform, the evil dentist from "The Little Shop of Horrors" has 587,000 followers, and his "Shopgirl" post generated almost 30,000 likes and 1,400 comments.

'So proud!' Steve Martin calls out Florida county on Facebook, Instagram after 'Shopgirl' book removal

Breaking down HB 1069, a law that lets Florida schools limit materials

The Florida Legislature recently passed House Bill 1069, which allows schools to limit materials that mention sex, gender, pronouns and reproductive health in the classroom.

It also requires "the suspension of materials alleged to contain pornography or obscene depictions of sexual conduct, as identified in current law, pending resolution of an objection to the material."

The law went into effect in July, and since then, Florida schools have been banning books that could violate the new law.

The Collier school district placed advisories on 115 books earlier this year but had not removed any from school libraries.

Now, 313 books are being removed. It's important to note that the majority of books in this list are being banned from high school libraries for students aged 14 to 18.

What is the difference between a book challenge and a banned book (or book banning)?

According to the American Library Association, "a challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection."

The ALA goes on to explain that "books usually are challenged with the best intentions — to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information."

What is 'Shopgirl,' the book by actor Steve Martin, about?

"Shopgirl" was published Jan. 1, 2000, novella written by actor Steve Martin. Its bio on goodreads.com states: "Lonely, depressed, Vermont transplant Mirabelle Buttersfield, who sells expensive evening gloves nobody ever buys at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills and spends her evenings watching television with her two cats. She attempts to forge a relationship with middle-aged, womanizing, Seattle millionaire Ray Porter while being pursued by socially inept and unambitious slacker Jeremy."

Actor Steve Martin on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Martin actively promotes his endeavors on social media ranging from videos of him playing banjo, teases for his hit Hulu show "Only Murders in the Building" with Martin Short and Selena Gomez, to his reaction to "Shopgirl" book removal from Collier County, Florida, library shelves.

Steve Martin on Facebook

@stevemartinreally on Instagram

@stevemartintogo on X, formerly known as Twitter

What other books has actor Steve Martin written?

"Pure Drivel," Sept. 16, 1998, by Steve Martin: The goodreads.com description states, "Who else but Steve Martin could combine irrefutable evidence that Mars is populated by kittens with a treatise on sledgehammers In this brilliantly witty collection of pieces Steve Martin takes a subversive glimpse at the world and a sideways swipe at the conventional. From memory tips for the over-fifties to his insightful exposition of 'Wittgenstein's Banana', never has 'pure drivel' been so entertaining."

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Was Steve Martin's book Shopgirl banned in Florida?