Ruqayyah Snyder
Several Dr Seuss books have been removed from publication and libraries in Australia due to their racist and insensitive imagery. Dr Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, is one of the most renowned children's authors in the world, with over 650 million copies of his books sold worldwide. However, some of his works have been criticised in recent years for their offensive depictions of African and Asian people, with 43 out of 45 characters of colour in his books exhibiting characteristics that align with the definition of Orientalism. This has sparked a debate about whether an author's works should be curated posthumously to reflect evolving social attitudes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Books Banned | 6 |
| Titles of Banned Books | "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street", "If I Ran the Zoo", "McElligot's Pool", "On Beyond Zebra!", "Scrambled Eggs Super!", "The Cat's Quizzer" |
| Reason for Ban | Racist and insensitive imagery |
| Date of Ban | 2021 |
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What You'll Learn
- 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street' contains a racist image of an Asian man
- 'If I Ran the Zoo' contains racist and insensitive imagery
- 'McElligot's Pool' contains racist and insensitive imagery
- 'On Beyond Zebra!' contains racist and insensitive imagery
- 'The Cat's Quizzer' contains racist and insensitive imagery
'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street' contains a racist image of an Asian man
Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, is one of the most renowned children's authors worldwide, with over 650 million copies of his books sold globally. However, his work has also been criticised for perpetuating racist and offensive stereotypes, particularly in his early publications.
One of his books that has sparked controversy is "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street", which was his first children's book, published in 1937. The story centres around a boy who witnesses fantastical and outlandish things, including a "Chinese man with sticks", holding chopsticks and a bowl. This illustration has been deemed offensive and racist, perpetuating a crude racial stereotype of an Asian man with slanted eyes.
The book has since been removed from publication, alongside five other Dr. Seuss titles, due to their portrayal of people in ways that are "hurtful and wrong". This decision was made by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the company responsible for preserving the author's legacy, after considering feedback from parents, teachers, and experts in children's literature.
The removal of the book from publication has sparked a debate about whether the content was inappropriate and offensive or simply a reflection of the time period in which it was written. Some critics argue that the illustration of the Asian character reinforces outdated and harmful stereotypes, while others suggest that it was perhaps seen as more acceptable or fantastical when it was first published in 1937.
The discussion surrounding "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" is part of a broader conversation about the curation of an author's work posthumously, raising questions about what should be preserved as part of the cultural record and how to address content that is no longer aligned with modern social values.
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'If I Ran the Zoo' contains racist and insensitive imagery
Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, is one of the world's best-known authors, with over 650 million copies of his books sold worldwide. However, Dr. Seuss has a long history of publishing racist and anti-Semitic work, dating back to the 1920s when he was a student at Dartmouth College.
In 2021, six of his books were pulled from publication by the author's estate, which said that these books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong. One of these books was "If I Ran the Zoo", which has been criticised for its use of racial stereotypes and caricatures.
In the book, young Gerald McGrew visits a zoo and starts daydreaming about what he would do if he were in charge. He decides that the exotic animals on display are "not good enough" and lists the new, more bizarre and exotic creatures he would add to the zoo. The illustrations grow wilder as McGrew imagines travelling to increasingly remote and exotic habitats, capturing each fanciful creature.
In a 1988 biography of Dr. Seuss, Ruth K. MacDonald notes the presence of occasional stereotypes of native peoples—potbellied, thick-lipped blacks from Africa, squinty-eyed Orientals, that may offend some modern readers. One Amazon review of the book also notes the presence of really racist images, with people drawn in the "worst stereotyping ways based on culture and race". Another Amazon user, who purchased the book for childhood nostalgia, notes that one of the images, which depicts two people with rings through their noses from the "African island of Yerka", bears a suggestion of minstrelsy.
However, it is important to note that there are also Amazon reviews that do not perceive any racist content in the book, with one customer specifically noting that they did not "see anything racist - just a very whimsical narrative of a boy imagining what he'd do if he ran the zoo".
The decision to cease publication of these books has sparked outrage from lovers of the best-selling children's books, but others say it is a savvy business decision designed to keep the Dr. Seuss brand alive and relevant in modern times.
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'McElligot's Pool' contains racist and insensitive imagery
Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, is one of the most renowned children's authors worldwide, with over 650 million copies of his books sold globally. However, his work has also been criticised for perpetuating racist and anti-Semitic stereotypes. In 2021, six of his books were discontinued due to their offensive content, including "McElligot's Pool".
"McElligot's Pool" has been criticised for its insensitive and racist imagery. While the book contains drawings of a hundred fanciful fish, there is a suggestion that one of these is a caricature of a Chinese fish, perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes. The book also features 'Eskimo fish' with 'mean or determined' eyes and mouths, as well as a depiction of a happy man outside his igloo, wearing a fur suit, and a happy walrus. These depictions of the 'Eskimo' characters have been criticised as insensitive and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
Dr. Seuss's work has a long history of containing racist and offensive imagery. A study published in the journal "Research on Diversity in Youth Literature" examined 50 of his books and found that 43 out of 45 characters of colour exhibited characteristics aligning with Orientalist stereotypes, including crude racial stereotypes of Asian characters with slanted eyes. This issue is not limited to his books; Dr. Seuss also drew WWII cartoons using racist slurs and imagery and performed in blackface during college, indicating a broader pattern of racist behaviour.
The decision to cease publishing these six books has sparked controversy, with some accusing the publisher of 'cancel culture'. However, the move also raises essential questions about curating an author's work posthumously to reflect evolving social attitudes. Libraries in Australia, for instance, have been reviewing their collections to ensure that picture books are appropriate and do not contain racist or offensive content. This decision by Dr. Seuss Enterprises acknowledges the problematic nature of some of his work and seeks to protect the author's brand and appeal while also taking responsibility for past mistakes.
While some may argue that the decision to stop publishing "McElligot's Pool" and other Dr. Seuss books is an attempt to erase history or censor the author's work, it is essential to recognise that these books contain harmful stereotypes that can cause offence and perpetuate racist ideologies. By discontinuing these titles, publishers and libraries are taking a stand against racist and insensitive content, ensuring that children's literature promotes inclusivity and cultural sensitivity.
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'On Beyond Zebra!' contains racist and insensitive imagery
On March 2, 2021, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the business that preserves and protects the author and illustrator’s legacy, announced that it would stop publishing six children's books due to insensitive and racist imagery. One of the books included in this decision was "On Beyond Zebra!".
"On Beyond Zebra!" was first published in 1955 and is about a boy named Barney who is bored with only learning about the 26 letters of the alphabet and the animals whose names start with those letters. So, his teacher, Miss Z, teaches him about the letters and animals that come after "Z" in the alphabet.
The book has been criticised for its portrayal of people of colour. One image in the book depicts a Middle Eastern man with a mustache riding a camel. This image has been interpreted as perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes of Middle Easterners. John McWhorter, a linguist and professor at Columbia University, wrote in his newsletter that he did not believe that the image was harmful to young minds and that it was more important for children to enjoy the closely rhymed verse and classic wit in the book than to focus on a single illustration.
In response to the decision to stop publishing the book, some people have accused Dr. Seuss Enterprises of cancel culture and virtue signalling. However, the company has stated that ceasing sales of these books is only part of their broader plan to ensure that their catalog represents and supports all communities and families.
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'The Cat's Quizzer' contains racist and insensitive imagery
Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, is one of the most renowned children's authors in the world, with over 650 million copies of his books sold worldwide. His works have been criticised for their depictions of minorities, particularly Black and Asian people, and for perpetuating Jewish stereotypes.
In 2021, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the company that manages the author's legacy, announced that it would cease the publication and licensing of six children's titles due to their racist and insensitive imagery. These included "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street", "If I Ran the Zoo", "McElligot's Pool", "On Beyond Zebra!", "Scrambled Eggs Super!" and "The Cat's Quizzer".
"The Cat's Quizzer", first published in 1976, was among the books that would no longer be published due to their offensive content. The decision to stop publishing these books was made after consulting with a panel of experts, including educators, who reviewed the entire Dr. Seuss catalogue.
The specific details of the racist and insensitive imagery in "The Cat's Quizzer" have not been explicitly outlined in the sources. However, it can be inferred that the content aligns with the broader issues identified in Dr. Seuss's works, which include the portrayal of racial minorities, particularly Black and Asian people, in a hurtful and wrong manner.
Dr. Seuss's early work, dating back to the 1920s, has been criticised for its racist and anti-Semitic nature. For example, a study published in the journal "Research on Diversity in Youth Literature" examined 50 books by Dr. Seuss and found that 43 out of 45 characters of colour exhibited characteristics aligning with the definition of Orientalism, or the stereotypical and offensive portrayal of Asian people. Additionally, Dr. Seuss once drew Black boxers as gorillas and perpetuated Jewish stereotypes by portraying Jewish characters as financially stingy.
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Frequently asked questions
Six Dr Seuss books have been banned in Australia: 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street', 'If I Ran the Zoo', 'McElligot’s Pool', 'On Beyond Zebra!', 'Scrambled Eggs Super!' and 'The Cat’s Quizzer'.
These books have been found to contain racist and insensitive imagery and portray people in ways that are "hurtful and wrong".
There has been increasing criticism in recent years over the depiction of Black and Asian people in Dr Seuss's work. The decision to cease publication and sales of the books was made after months of discussion and feedback from teachers, academics and specialists.
The move to ban these books has sparked outrage from lovers of the best-selling children's books. However, it has also raised questions about whether and how an author's works should be curated posthumously to reflect evolving social attitudes.
