Dr. Seuss Enterprises To End Publication of Six Titles Over “Hurtful and Wrong” Imagery
Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the eponymous company responsible for managing the works of the prolific and iconic children’s book author, has announced that they will end publication of several titles they believe present “hurtful and wrong” imagery.
“Dr. Seuss Enterprises celebrates reading and also our mission of supporting all children and families with messages of hope, inspiration, inclusion, and friendship,” said the company in a statement. “We are committed to action”.
“To that end,” the statement continued, “Dr. Seuss Enterprises, working with a panel of experts, including educators, reviewed our catalog of titles and made the decision last year to cease publication and licensing of [several] titles”.
According to Dr. Seuss Enterprises, this decision was made because ”these books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong”.
Tastelessly, despite allegedly being decided upon last year, Dr. Seuss Enterprises first publicly announced their new publication direction on March 2nd, 2021, the same date as both Dr. Seuss’ birthday and the annual Read Across America Day celebration established in his honor.
In total, six books will now be removed from publication, though Dr. Seuss Enterprises did not explain why each specific title had been chosen for removal. The books, as well as Bounding Into Comics’ own speculation as to why a given title was selected, can be seen below:
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
More than likely removed due to the appearance of a stereotypically dressed Chinese person, referred to within the story as “A Chinaman.”
If I Ran the Zoo
The book which features several Asian men being referred to as “helpers who all wear their eyes at a slant” and an outdated portrayal of African tribesmen:
McElligot’s Pool
Presumably removed due to the inclusion of stereotypically dressed ‘Eskimo Fish.’
On Beyond Zebra!
Most likely because it features a nondescript Middle Eastern man from the fictional country of Bazzim.
Scrambled Eggs Super!
Once again, it was probably removed for the appearance of a man dressed in non-specific Middle Eastern clothes.
The Cat’s Quizzer
This children’s quick book was assumedly removed for the inclusion of an image of a Japanese man wearing a traditional conical hat alongside the question “How old you have to be to be a Japanese?”
“Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’s catalog represents and supports all communities and families,” the company’s statement concluded.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ announcement comes just days after a Virginia public school district explained that they had begun to encourage students to disassociate Dr. Seuss from Read Across America Day based on allegations made by researchers that his work contained “strong racial undertones.”
What do you make of the banning of the aforementioned Dr. Seuss titles? Let us know your thoughts on social media or in the comments down below!
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