Jamie Oliver withdraws 'damaging' children's book as he issues apology

ok.co.uk:

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has had to apologise and pull his latest children's book from shelves after facing backlash for its "irresponsible and damaging" content, as called out by an education body for Indigenous Australians.

His new release, Billy and the Epic Escape—a follow-up to his first book, Billy and the Giant Adventure —has come under fire with The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (Natsiec) pushing for Jamie and his publisher Penguin Random House to recall the controversial book, which was published earlier in the year.

A sensitive plot point includes a First Nations girl being taken away by a villain, who observes that "First Nations children seem to be more connected with nature".

Moreover, the Indigenous character in the narrative claims she can chat with plants and animals and can even read minds - sparking considerable offence.