Penguin Random House has halted the publication of a children’s book about Palestinian history and the Palestinian struggle shortly before its planned release. According to The Guardian, Palestinian American authors Alana Hadid and Jinan Matari withdrew the book after a prolonged disagreement with the publisher. The dispute centred on how the manuscript described Palestinian history and the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
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The publisher’s subsidiary, Random House Children’s Books, signed an agreement with the authors in November 2024. Titled Displacement and the Palestinian American Story, the book was scheduled for release in September 2026. Written for children aged 10 to 13, it explores Palestinian history, Israeli occupation, resistance and the experiences of Palestinians living around the world. It also includes accounts of displacement and forced removal within the authors’ families.
The authors told The Guardian that disagreements continued for several months over the language used to describe the October 7 attacks. Their manuscript argued that people living under colonial domination have a right to resist. However, the publisher reportedly wanted the authors to acknowledge that the attacks violated international law. According to the report, an editor added the sentence, “These actions were violations of international law.” The authors decided to withdraw from publication in early September.
Matari later said on Instagram that working with a major publisher had been a dream. She would not compromise her community’s interests to achieve personal success. She also stressed the importance of understanding resistance within the context of colonialism. Hadid is a social activist and philanthropist, while Matari is an award-winning author.
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A Random House spokesperson told The Guardian that the project followed the publisher’s standard editorial process. The spokesperson said the company respected the authors’ decision and remained committed to bringing Palestinian perspectives to young readers.