Did Dr. Seuss encourage violence against fathers? One reader thinks so
Dr. Seuss apparently displeased one Toronto resident this past year.
According to , Seuss鈥檚 book 鈥淗op on Pop鈥� was one of seven titles that people requested Toronto Public Library take off their shelves. In the case of 鈥淧op,鈥� the person who complained said the book was 鈥渧iolent and encouraged children to be violent with their fathers,鈥� the Toronto Public Library director of collections management Vickery Bowles told CTV Toronto.
The person asked that 鈥淧op鈥� be removed from the library and that the library pay damages caused by the book鈥檚 allegedly violent themes as well as give an apology to area fathers.
The library declined to do so.
In fact, as CTV pointed out, part of the text of Seuss鈥檚 book reads, 鈥淪TOP You must not hop on Pop,鈥� discouraging children from jumping on their parents.
鈥淧op鈥� was first released in 1963 and Seuss鈥檚 other popular titles include 鈥淗ow the Grinch Stole Christmas!,鈥� 鈥淥ne Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish,鈥� and 鈥淕reen Eggs and Ham.鈥�
According to the , more than 300 titles were challenged in the US last year. The books that received the most challenges were the titles in the 鈥淐aptain Underpants鈥� series by Dav Pilkey.
The ALA celebrates Banned Books Week every year and this year鈥檚 celebration will be held beginning Sept. 21.
