*A team of artists and writers from “diverse racial backgrounds” have been tapped to edit a series of unseen sketches drawn by Dr. Seuss that are set to be published for the first time.
The group of rising authors and illustrators will create “inclusive” storylines inspired by the drawings that will “represent a diverse cross-section of racial backgrounds to represent as many families as possible,” according to reps for Dr. Seuss Enterprises, a company founded by the family of the children’s book author.
“We look forward to putting the spotlight on a new generation of talent who we know will bring their unique voices and style to the page, while also drawing inspiration from the creativity and imagination of Dr. Seuss,” Susan Brandt, the president and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said in a statement.
READ MORE: These 6 Dr. Seuss Books Will No Longer Be Published Due to Racist Imagery (Video)
Authors and artists will be given an original Dr. Seuss sketch, which will be included in the book along with a note explaining how it inspired the work. The images include a catlike creature and a series of colorful hummingbirds. https://t.co/XVNhTaRcAP pic.twitter.com/PCTrwcD8JH
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 2, 2022
“The original Dr. Seuss sketch that serves as the inspiration for each of the new Seuss Studios books will be included in the book, along with a note from the creators explaining how they were inspired, and their process,” she added.
Per The New York Post, “The sketches will serve as the basis for a new line of books that will be written and illustrated by the group — and follows his recent “cancellation” after six of his children’s books were yanked from publication because of alleged racist imagery.”
The announcement comes a year after Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced six Dr. Seuss books would no longer be published because they “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”
The titles were: “If I Ran the Zoo,” “And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer.’’
“We believed that it was time to take action,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Post in a statement at the time. “We listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field, too, as part of the review process.”
