and to think that i saw it on mulberry street

There was also a stereotypical Middle Eastern man depicted. “A Chinese man who eats with sticks” the text read, and depicted a very stereotypical image of a young Asian man with a dǒulì on his head, geta on his feet, wearing a Kāṣāya, and holding a bowl of rice and two exaggerated chopsticks.

Illustration from And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street Seuss admitted that some of his earlier works were created from a place of ignorance, so we started with And To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street. (When I say ignorance I am referring to a lack of knowledge about something.)ĭr. We strive to make sure they are informed, understanding, tolerant, and aware of actions that happen out of ignorance. Having children of more than one race can really put into perspective the importance of sharing, teaching about, and discussing different races and cultures. One reason is that I am black, my husband is white, and our children are biracial. In my home, being socially conscious of racism and having deep conversations about race is important for a multitude of reasons. I thought about what I am teaching her. I thought about the long-term effects that consistently showing her racist imagery may have. Most of all I thought of the effect that could have on the masses. Not only did the work itself and what I missed as a child make me think, but my young five-year-old daughter made me consider a lot of things as well. When it comes to classics remembered from childhood, I, like most parents, am eager to share them with my children. But my recent experience has me seriously needing to pause and reread and reconsider. I have read tons of books to my kids, and often I try to screen them first for content. It was a lot more surprising than I expected it to be. I would like to share my experience of reading titles such as these with my child.

Titles such as If I Ran the Zoo and And To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street are great examples of how our nostalgia filters may impede our ability to remember every aspect of a work. Seuss’ early work deserves a second look before sharing with your child. We have many such “classics” in our history. It is all too often we wish to share a little piece of our childhood with them without taking time to consider the work from a constructive standpoint. When reading to young children we all want to share loving, happy, warm stories that make them feel good.

And to think that i saw it on mulberry street