Dr. Seuss books have been beloved by children and adults for generations, but 6 of them will no longer be published because they are racially offensive … according to the business that preserves the author’s legacy.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises says these 6 Seuss books — including “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” and “Scrambled Eggs Super!” — “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”
The company says it made the decision to cease sales on these books — which also include “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer” — after consulting with educators and reviewing its catalog.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, March 2 — Dr. Seuss’s birthday — though the decision was made last year. The move comes as President Biden also omitted mention of Dr. Seuss on Read Across America Day … which is held annually on the author’s bday.
Dr. Seuss — born Theodor Seuss Geisel — has come under increased scrutiny over the years as his history of racist and anti-Semitic work has been uncovered. A study of 50 Seuss books in 2019 found 43 of 45 characters of color had characteristics aligning with “Orientalism” and 2 “African” characters had anti-Black qualities.
Of the 6 books being pulled … “The Cat’s Quizzer” and “If I Ran the Zoo” were cited in the study specifically for examples of Orientalism and white supremacy.