6 Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published over ‘Hurtful and wrong’ imagery
AP Photo/Steven Senne
6 Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published over ‘Hurtful and wrong’ imagery
Words: Dylan Murphy
The company that preserves the author’s estate said that many of the depictions of groups were “hurtful and wrong.”
Yesterday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises revealed in a statement, that six of the late author’s books will cease to be published.
According to the company that oversees the author’s estate, the “books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,”
‘If I Ran the Zoo‘, ‘Scrambled Eggs Super’, ‘McElligot’s Pool’ and ‘On Beyond Zebra!‘ are among the titles to be shelved.
The decision followed a review of its catalog and extensive consultation with a panel of experts.
In the statement, they continued saying, “Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr Seuss Enterprises’ catalogue represents and supports all communities and families.”
Theodor Seuss Geisel AKA Dr Seuss was born in Massachusetts and died in 1991. His published works have been translated into a host of different languages, are sold in over 100 countries and have been made into feature-length films like How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
However, the portrayal of characters from different ethnic backgrounds has long been a topic of conversation. The portrayal of a Chinese character in ‘And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street‘ that wears traditional Japanese shoes, carries rice with them and has lines for eyes has been criticised as problematic.
Elsewhere, Geisel’s political cartoons that featured in newspapers before he became a children’s author were the subject of backlash, having depicted harmful stereotypes. He did, however, detail his regret years later.
Click here to read the full statement from Dr. Seuss Enterprises.
Elsewhere, Michael D. Higgins was spotted with a new pooch this week.
