drseussbirthday

News from the publishing world on #DrSeussBirthday. What are your reactions, Littens? I'm personally not one bit sad about this, but I'm sure there are many schools of thought out there!
https://bookriot.com/six-dr-seuss-books-to-cease-publication/
#WindsOfMarch @Eggs

nanuska_153 I'll never approve of censorship,doesn't matter how noble the reason.I don't believe on "right to offend" but I don't believe either in studying the works and removing anything that might have racist/sexist/offensive ramifications.I don't like to find offensive connotations in a book,but finding them and being aware of them helps developing critical thinking.Also censorship is dangerous, because it raises the question "where do you draw the line" 4y

Palimpsest https://www.instagram.com/p/CLkAoQbHmW4/?igshid=nwb3bffwmurv 4y

mandarchy This is interesting. When I get to my library I'll pull these books and evaluate them myself. Then move them to the teacher section for the purpose of identifying problematic content. I think that it might lead to some good discussions. I don't think it's fair to frame Geisel as a racist and shun all of his work. I think his work reflected his time and culture. It wasn't intended to promote that culture. Huge difference. 4y

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Palimpsest Check out the link which shows some of Dr. Suess‘s work and maybe that will help to answer some questions. I am usually not for censorship, but this is why he is not being read unlike the Fox News article is saying. That Biden is not including him in read for Across America, but they don‘t know why! Liars. We shouldn‘t celebrate someone or something that spreads this racist hate. (edited) 4y

LiteraryinPA Very interesting article. Thanks for drawing attention to the issue! 4y

LiteraryinPA Thanks @Palimpsest for that article as well. I‘m glad to be learning about the issue this morning. 4y

Palimpsest I was talking about him not being read for read across America @Andrea313 and didn‘t know they were stopping publication, but I still think there are plenty of other wonderful children‘s books that are uplifting for all children where they can see themselves, not see themselves portrayed in a vulgar, dehumanizing way. The content I shared above uses he uses the word n*gg•r He was clearly racist even if you don‘t see it in some books. 4y

Palimpsest Chiming in one last time. I‘m fully aware of the dangers censorship can lead to. My final paper for my Eng. Lit degree was about Authors and Authorship and I‘ve had conversations about whether we can separate the work from the person. They didn‘t say they were confiscating the books, just not publishing them. I read Little Black Sambo as a kid and it‘s not published anymore. Difference is I understand it‘s more harmful for kids to read it than not 4y

Hestapleton I haven‘t the specific books mentioned from book riot in FOREVER. I remember some of them being most suessian nonsense books (ie not real life and very much imaginative). Is it the text that‘s racist or the images? If it‘s the images, I‘m surprised they aren‘t just releasing new illustrations. Could be totally wrong here - just curious. 4y

Andrea313 @Palimpsest Thanks for sharing the Instagram post, and for your comments. I absolutely agree that there are plenty of books out there to uplift all children and we should be focusing on that work. I'm always interested in the discussion, though! 4y

Andrea313 @Hestapleton You ask a great question! In some cases, it's both the text and the images that are racist; in others, the illustrations speak for themselves. Releasing new illustrations is a good idea to make these works more inclusive, but I would much rather see the same resources used to further the original work and ideas of BIPOC authors and illustrators. 4y

Andrea313 @nanuska_153 Thanks for bringing your perspective! I agree that these books do have a role to play in examining critical thinking and understanding the evolution of children's literature, society as a whole, etc; but I push back on the claim of "censorship". There are many materials that we seem inappropriate for children, and I believe these books fit that bill. 4y

Andrea313 @nanuska_153 If adults have access to Geisel's work in order to add to our greater understanding of how youth education and entertainment has shifted, great. But do children need to read slurs and see dehumanizing imagery of themselves? Absolutely not. There are far too many wonderful children's books to celebrate to bother with those that contribute to marginalization of any community. 4y

Hestapleton @Andrea313 thanks for the input! I agree, we should def be promoting more diverse books in general, esp kids books. When I said I was surprised they weren‘t doing more illustrations, I meant more from a $$ making perspective from the publisher. :) I appreciate your input since it‘s been so long since I‘ve read these! 4y

Andrea313 @Hestapleton It was actually Seuss Enterprises who made the decision to pull these titles, which surprised me. I assumed it would be a publisher (which I believe would be Penguin Random House, in this case). But while this move effectively curtails some profit, we're not talking major Seuss titles like Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, etc. 4y

Hestapleton @Andrea313 oo doubling surprising! But you‘re right - these are definitely more obscure titles. 4y

nanuska_153 @Andrea313 certainly,but I think it's a job for parents and teachers to educate and decide to either filter the inappropriate works or use them to explain the subtext of racist comments, or fat shaming comments,or(this is perhaps more normalised)sexist comments about what are"girls things".My nephews don't know the word heteropatriarchy,but they understand the concept and are capable of seeing many subtelties. It's a matter of opinion,of course 4y

Andrea313 @nanuska_153 Certainly these books are useful as examples of racism (as others are when discussing fat-shaming, sexism, etc), and I agree that young people are able to understand these concepts. But if you are working to encourage young readers in a love of books, an exploration of story, in silly wordplay, etc, why should we turn to the books that are overtly racist? What purpose does that serve when there are so many other great choices? 4y

nanuska_153 @Andrea313 there are very good children books that explain racism and bullying;also old children books where racism is not the topic,but with racist comments.In my opinion the purpose is to let you stop and reflect with your kid how those comments can be brought into an innocent conversation, because that's the way they are going to experience them in the real world.It's a matter for the parents to decide if this could be of benefit or not 4y

nanuska_153 @Andrea313 I know a lot of people choose to spare their children situations where certain things are said and I respect it; I just believe it is a matter of the reader and of the parent to learn/teach how to turn the negative into positive and learning experience. I'm not saying you have to do it, but that the book can indeed serve a purpose and that it's a matter for the parents to decide to filter or not the book as appropriate 4y

Andrea313 @nanuska_153 You bring up a good point about reading WITH kids. I think of this frequently when I reflect on my love for the work of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There is much about her writing to object to, but the right conversation helps young readers understand and contextualize what they read. That said, as much as I love her work, I don't believe it should be taught in schools, as there are so many books that are much more inclusive for all. 4y

Andrea313 @nanuska_153 I appreciate the conversation! Thanks for engaging on the topic, which I know can be thorny for many. 4y

nanuska_153 @Andrea313 oh yeah, 100% should be with kids, any books for children that age should be read with them at least the first time. Thanks for bringing the matter to our attention ♥️ 4y

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