Six popular Dr. Seuss books — including And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo — “will stop being published because of racist and insensitive imagery, the business that preserves and protects the author’s legacy said Tuesday,” The Associated Press reported.
“These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press in a statement marking the late author and illustrator’s birthday.
“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 said. The Associated Press reported that the “racist and insensitive” depictions played a part in their removal.
The other books affected are McElligot’s Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat’s Quizzer.
The move to drop the six titles comes just 24-hours after a Virginia school system removed children’s books by Dr. Seuss from its annual Read Across America program over charges they have “strong racial undertones,” as Breitbart News reported.
Dr. Seuss is now racist. Consider this your woke Cancel Culture warning in the event your children are spotted with copies and/or authorities find out you've read these stories to your children. https://t.co/f8LxJqC72t
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) March 1, 2021
According to a school spokesman, the district said they are looking toward books that are more “inclusive and diverse and reflective of our student community.”
On Monday, President Biden omitted Dr. Seuss from Read Across America Day – held annually on the children’s author’s birthday on March 2.
Biden broke presidential tradition when he left out any mention of Dr. Seuss, while both former President Barack Obama and former President Donald Trump recognized Dr. Seuss’ contributions several times in their yearly proclamations.
Books by Dr. Seuss — who was born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904 —- have been translated into dozens of languages as well as in braille and are sold in more than 100 countries. He died in 1991.
He remains popular, earning an estimated $33 million before taxes in 2020, up from just $9.5 million five years ago, the company said. Forbes listed him No. 2 on its highest-paid dead celebrities of 2020, behind only the late pop star Michael Jackson.
AP contributed to this report
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