You Won't See 6 Dr. Seuss Books Anymore Because They Have ‘Hurtful And Wrong’ Images

Six Dr. Seuss books will cease publication due to its offensive imagery, the company that oversees the estate of the renowned children’s author and illustrator announced on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises released a statement on the author’s birthday, which is also Read Across America Day in the US, saying they made the decision last year after working with a panel of experts.

“Today, on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises celebrates reading and also our mission of supporting all children and families with messages of hope, inspiration, inclusion and friendship.

“We are committed to action. To that end, 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 of the following titles: 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,” read the statement posted on their official website.

“These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” the company added, saying that ceasing the sales of the books is only a part of their commitment and broader plan to “ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’s catalog represents and supports all communities and families.”

Theodor Seuss Geisel, more popularly known as Dr. Seuss, has written more than 60 books under the famous pen name. Though he passed away in 1991, his works continue to be loved by many, thanks to its catchy rhymes and whimsical characters. Many of his stories also teach positive values.

Over the years, some of his books have received criticism for its supposed racist imagery. The six books, published between 1937 and 1976, contain stereotypical Asian and Black characters.

In And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, a character described as Chinese was drawn with two lines for eyes, carrying chopsticks and a bowl of rice. In If I Ran the Zoo, two men, described as being from Africa, were drawn resembling monkeys with dark skin and wearing grass skits. They also balanced an exotic animal on a beam.

One of Dr. Seuss' most popular works, The Cat in the Hat, has also received criticism but will not be part of the books being withdrawn from shelves.

In the US, the National Education Association (NEA) encouraged the public to focus on more diverse books for Read Across America Day, instead of just connecting it with Dr. Seuss’s birthday.

Looking for children's books you can buy for your child? Check out our list of recommendations here.