On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, Dr. Seuss Enterprises* announced it would be pulling 6 Dr. Seuss books from publication due to racist and insensitive imagery. “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises told the AP in a statement.
Wondering what Dr. Seuss books will be removed from the shelves this year?
Here is the list: The six books that Dr. Seuss Enterprises discontinued are:
1. “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”
2. “If I Ran the Zoo”
3. “McElligot’s Pool”
4. “On Beyond Zebra!”
5. “Scrambled Eggs Super!”
6. “The Cat’s Quizzer”
Why are Dr. Seuss books being withdrawn?
Why Are Dr. Seuss Books Racist?
The famous children’s book writer is responsible for stories like “Green Eggs and Ham” and “How the Grinch Stole Christman”.
He often writes about love, patience, friends, and forgiveness. Some of his funniest and quirky picture books highlight the importance of taking care of the planet and each other.
When Melania Trump, the former First Lady of the United States, donated Dr. Seuss books a Massachusetts school librarian rejected them saying they contained racist undertones and “were not needed”.
But the question remains, how are Dr. Seuss books racist?
See, even though the whimsical writer was a liberal democrat, he was a product of a different age. You can tell through his writing that he was opposed to fascism and all forms of oppression.
Yet there seems to be some mishaps and errors in judgement.
Even he admitted that, claiming that they were “snap judgments that every political cartoonist has to make.”
Let’s take a look at each individual book that has been banned and understand why Dr. Seuss is being canceled.
Are Dr. Seuss books racist?
Before we begin, it’s important to understand the context of this decision by Dr. Seuss Enterprises.
They made an informed decision based on advice, constructive criticism, and a productive discussion within the Dr. Seuss community.
There’s a lot of blowback from conservative politicians, claiming that there is a clear political goal. So, there are definitely two sides to the story.
Having said that, it’s up to you to determine if that decision was warranted.
1. “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”
The reason this Dr. Seuss’ book was pulled from the selves because that there was a stereotypical depiction of an Asian person who is wearing a conical hat and holding chopsticks.
Even though the focus of the story is about a little boy imagining the most fantastical parade, many people feel that the stereotypical illustration might be hurtful to some communities.
2. “If I Ran the Zoo”
This is a story about a young boy imagining what the Zoo would look like if he was managing it.
Many people believe that this book “doesn’t belong” in the modern world because Dr. Seuss used my physiognomic stereotypes about Native Americans, African Americans, and other minorities.
Do you agree with this sentiment?
3. “McElligot’s Pool”
Dr. Seuss writes about a boy fishing in a little pond and imagining extraordinary species of fish passing.
In one of his descriptions, he used the term “Eskimo fish’ to describe a shoal of fish “wearing” the stereotypical clothes of the indigenous population.
4. “On Beyond Zebra!”
This Dr. Seuss’ book is considered racist isn’t as obvious as the previous cases.
The story is about a young narrator who decides to add a few more letters to the English Alphabet, each one representing a new creature.
The letters look like Persian monograms. And in one instance, the author describes a person riding a camel-like animal. The terms he uses are phonetically similar to the middle-eastern dialects.
5. “Scrambled Eggs Super!”
This is a story about making delicious scrambled eggs using the eggs from rare birds.
This isn’t as politically charged as the rest of the books on his list but the message the author promotes might not be up to par.
The idea that you can steal or manipulate others in order to be the best hints to the deeply imprinted, imperialistic tendencies of the West that has resulted in the oppression of the indigenous population.
6. “The Cat’s Quizzer”
The Cat in the Hat, a popular character that appeared in the titular book, introduces us to Ziggy and Zizzy Zozzfozzel, a brother and a sister that get all of the questions wrong from the quiz wrong!
The reason this Dr. Seuss’ book is considered racist because the author makes fun of the African Pygmies and Japanese people, using “funny” remarks against them.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
 | Our Top Pick The Cat in the Hat
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | The Lorax
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | Green Eggs and Ham
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
Do you think Dr. Seuss’ books should have been canceled after-all?
Only a few days after his birthday, it seems that this isn’t the celebration any of us would expect!
Theodor Seuss Geisel or “Dr. Seuss” has written over 60 books, containing some of the most memorable and funny stories.
There are many adults who grew up and built their childhood memories within these stories.
And even though many people believe that these books are a “dangerous product”, quoting Philip Nel, a children’s literature scholar at Kansas State University, there are those who recognize that the celebrated author did change his views later on in his life.
I’m personally glad young children, both white and Asian American, won’t have these painful images and stories read to them. I think Dr. Seuss would be glad, too. He later came to regret these works. pic.twitter.com/hFOhQo9zoY
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 4, 2021
With stories like “Horton Hears a Who!” and “The Sneetches”, you can tell that he matured as a writer and human.
President Joe Biden has recently discontinued Dr. Seuss from Read Across America Day, noy mentioning his name during his speech.
That’s in line with Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ decision to cancel these 6 “problematic” books. While they recognize the impact he had on many generations of kids, they feel that every young boy and girl should be represented and not feel threatened or mocked — even in the context of humor.
I want to end this with a quote from another fantasy novel writer who is loved by the younger generation, Terry Pratchett:
“Satire is meant to ridicule power. If you are laughing at people who are hurting, it’s not satire, it’s bullying.”
Do you agree that Dr. Seuss’ books are racist? Comment below.
Why are Dr. Seuss books being withdrawn?
Dr. Seuss Enterprises said that it made the decision to pull the 6 books after consulting with teachers and experts.
“Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families,”
Dr. Seuss Enterprises
If you’re a fan of Dr. Seuss books, don’t worry.
There are still plenty of popular books available from the author, like The Cat in the Hat and Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Check out our complete list of Dr. Seuss books.
| More Dr. Seuss! |
|---|
| List of Dr. Seuss Books |
| Dr. Seuss Quotes |
| Dr. Seuss Characters |
| Dr. Seuss Reading Quotes |
| Dr. Seuss Day |
| Oh, the Places You'll Go! Quotes |
| Dr. Seuss Love Quotes |
| Dr. Seuss Adult Book |
If you prefer to celebrate Read Across America Week with more diverse books from other authors, check out our list of the best children’s books about diversity.
*(source: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56250658)
I personally think people are reading way to much into these books. Everyone seems offended by everything and I am offended by companies that give in to the few that complain