Margaret Atwood has responded to Alberta's recent ban on school library books containing sexual content by writing a satirical short story. This comes after her acclaimed novel, "The Handmaid’s Tale," was removed from some school shelves due to the province's new regulations.

In a social media post on Sunday, Atwood announced that since her literary classic is no longer deemed suitable for Alberta schools, she created a story for 17-year-olds featuring two characters, John and Mary. She describes them as "very, very good children" who never engaged in typical childhood behaviors. "They never picked their noses or had bowel movements or zits," Atwood wrote. The characters grow up, marry, and have five perfect children without ever having sex.

Atwood further critiques societal issues through her characters, stating they ignore the poor and focus on "selfish rapacious capitalism." She humorously notes that they never die because "who wants to dwell" on mortality, and they live happily ever after. However, she concludes with a twist: "But while they were doing that, The Handmaid’s Tale came true and (Premier) Danielle Smith found herself with a nice new blue dress but no job. The end."

Last week, the Edmonton Public School Board, one of the largest in Alberta, announced it would remove over 200 books from its schools. This decision aligns with a July directive from Alberta's education ministry, which mandated the removal of books containing "materials containing explicit sexual content" by October 1. The board's list revealed the immediate impact of the ban, including the removal of notable works such as Maya Angelou’s "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and Aldous Huxley’s "Brave New World."

Premier Danielle Smith criticized the Edmonton Public School Board's actions, calling them excessive and labeling the list a form of "vicious compliance." During a news conference, she presented excerpts from graphic novels, including "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe, which sparked the new regulations due to their explicit illustrations.

Public School Board chair Julie Kusiek stated that the list complies with government criteria and encouraged anyone with concerns to reach out to Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides. Other school divisions are expected to release similar lists in the coming days. Smith has proposed that Alberta's education ministry form a working group to review books with school boards to determine their appropriateness.

Atwood, Smith, and the Alberta education ministry did not respond to requests for comment regarding Atwood's short story on Sunday.