Never-before-published sketches of fantastical creatures by Dr. Seuss will be included in new books written and illustrated by an inclusive group of up-and-coming authors and artists, the company that owns the intellectual property rights announced on Wednesday. works of Dr. Seuss.
Posted at 10:41 a.m.
The new line of books will include original stories inspired by previously unseen illustrations selected from the author’s archive at the University of California, San Diego, Dr Seuss Enterprises said in a statement on the anniversary of the writer, who died in 1991.
The announcement comes exactly a year after the company founded by the family of Dr. Seuss — whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel — announced it would stop publishing six titles by the author because they contain racist imagery. and insensitive, a decision that drew both criticism and praise.
In And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Streetan Asian person is depicted wearing a conical hat, holding chopsticks and eating from a bowl. If I Ran the Zoo includes a drawing of two barefoot African men wearing what appear to be grass skirts with their hair tied back above their heads. The other books concerned were McElligot’s Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Great! and The Cat’s Quizzer.
New authors and illustrators will be from diverse backgrounds to represent as many families as possible, Dr. Seuss Enterprises said. Company officials were not available for comment, a spokesperson said.
“We look forward to spotlighting a new generation of talent who we know will bring their unique voice and style to the page, while drawing inspiration from the creativity and imagination of Dr. Seuss,” said Dr. Seuss Enterprises President and CEO Susan Brandt in a statement.
The books, under the Seuss Studios banner and published by Random House Children’s Books, will be aimed at readers ages 4 to 8.