dr seuss books
Dr. Seuss sits at his drafting table in his home office with a copy of his book, "The Cat in the Hat," in La Jolla, California, on April 25, 1957.
Gene Lester/Getty Images
  • 6 Dr. Seuss books will no longer be sold due to offensive imagery, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced.
  • “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” the company said in a statement.
  • Tuesday’s announcement has already become a touchpoint for Republicans criticizing “cancel culture.”
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The company that oversees Dr. Seuss’ estate announced Tuesday that it would stop selling six of the revered children’s author and illustrator’s books, including “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” and “If I Ran the Zoo,” for racist and offensive imagery. 

“These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises said in a statement shared with Insider. “Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’s catalog represents and supports all communities and families.” 

The company – which protects the legacy of Dr. Seuss, whose real name is Theodor Seuss Geisel – said its mission supports “all children and families with messages of hope, inspiration, inclusion, and friendship.” 

The Associated Press first reported the news on Tuesday, which would have been the author’s 117th birthday. 

dr seuss racist book
A copy of the book "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street."
Steven Senne/AP

Random House Children’s Books, the publisher of Dr. Seuss books, will also not be able to sell “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!,” and “The Cat’s Quizzer.” The books include racially insensitive drawings of African people and Asian people. 

"And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" features a character called "a Chinaman" who has lines for eyes, a pointed hat, and carries rice and chopsticks. "If I Ran the Zoo" depicts two people from a fictional African island that are drawn as monkeys.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises, founded by the author's family, said in its statement that the company decided last year to cease publishing and licensing deals for those six books. 

Random House Children's Books told the Associated Press, "We respect the decision of Dr. Seuss Enterprises (DSE) and the work of the panel that reviewed this content last year, and their recommendation." The Random House imprint did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. 

March is National Reading Month in the US, led by the National Education Association (NEA). This year, the agency has "pivoted from popular children's author Dr. Seuss to a focus on diverse children's books," USA Today reported.

President Joe Biden did not reference Seuss by name in his Read Across America Day address, though Presidents Obama and Trump mentioned the author in theirs, USA Today noted.

Republicans are using the announcement to decry 'cancel culture' 

Within hours of the announcement, right-wing pundits and politicians criticized the decision on Fox News, accusing Dr. Seuss Enterprises of falling prey to "cancel culture."

On "Fox and Friends" on Tuesday morning, co-host Ainsley Earhardt claimed that "cancel culture trying to cancel Dr. Seuss now." Donald Trump Jr., on the show as a guest, replied, "There's no place that they won't go."

On "Fox and Friends First," North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a Republican, also accused "cancel culture" of being responsible for Dr. Seuss Enterprises' decision. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz also tweeted about the news. 

Philip Bump, a Washington Post national correspondent, wrote in a column Tuesday that the "fight against 'cancel culture' is now a mainstay of Republican rhetoric because it extends" complaints of political correctness. 

Read the original article on Insider