The Captain Underpants books have been around for nearly 25 years. Many people have fond memories of reading the series. Since the release of the first book, Captain Underpants has sold more than 80 million copies all over the world. Although the books are about a grown man who runs around where nothing but underwear, lots of people have always considered Captain Underpants to be fairly harmless. On the other hand, however, there are also a lot of people who find the books to be grossly inappropriate. Now, a Captain Underpants spin-off has recently gotten some flack as well. But why was the spin-off pulled from shelves when it doesn’t even have anything to do with underpants? Keep reading to find out.
Captain Underpants’ Long History with Books Bans
If you’ve ever heard of Captain Underpants and felt like it wasn’t something children should be reading, you aren’t alone. The books have a controversial history and are one of the most banned books in the United States. Over the years, many parents have felt like the language in the book was inappropriate for young readers. They also cited partial nudity, violence, and poor behavior as other reasons the books shouldn’t be allowed in schools. In 2015 one of the books, Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot, found itself being banned from some schools’ book fairs because one of the main characters was gay.
Dave Pilkey, the author of the books, has always stood firm in his stance that the books are appropriate. While they do encourage children to think for themselves, they do not contain any harmful information. According to Publishing Perspectives, Pilkey said, ” “I understand that people are entitled to their own opinions about books, but it should be just that: a difference of opinion. Instead of saying ‘I don’t think children should read this book,’ just add a single word: ‘I don’t think my children should read this book.’” Despite the backlash the books have gotten, there are plenty of parents and educators who agree with Pilkey’s position and think it’s absolutely ridiculous that the books have gotten such a bad reputation.
Why The Captain Underpants Spin-Off Was Banned
One of the latest Dave Pilkey books to come under fire isn’t even part of the Captain Underpants franchise. Instead, it’s a spin-off book titled The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future. The book is about two cavemen who travel to 2222 to help save the world. While in the future, they meet a martial arts instructor who trains them in kung fu.
Recently, however, the books have been brought into the spotlight after being pulled from shelves due to veiled racism. According to Distractify, Scholastic, one of the book’s publishers said “Scholastic has removed the book from our websites, stopped fulfillment of any orders (domestically or abroad), contacted our retail partners to explain why this book is no longer available, and sought a return of all inventory. We will take steps to inform schools and libraries who may still have this title in circulation of our decision to withdraw it from publication.”
Dave Pilkey’s Apology
Author Dave Pilkey insists that his intention was to never perpetuate racist stereotypes. Instead, his original goal was to teach young children about diversity. In a recent statement on YouTube, Dave apologized. He wrote:
“About ten years ago I created a book about a group of friends who save the world using Kung Fu and the principles found in Chinese philosophy. The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future was intended to showcase diversity, equality, and non-violent conflict resolution.
But this week it was brought to my attention that this book also contains harmful racial stereotypes and passively racist imagery. I wanted to take this opportunity to publicly apologize for this. It was and is wrong and harmful to my Asian readers, friends, and family, and to all Asian people.”
Dave also added that future proceeds of the books will be donated “to charities that provide free books, art supplies, and theater for children in underserved communities; organizations that promote diversity in children’s books and publishing; and organizations designed to stop violence and hatred against Asians. These non-profit charities include: We Need Diverse Books, The AAPI, and TheaterWorks USA, among others.”
The comments on Dave’s YouTube video have been turned off so it’s unclear how fans feel about the apology. That being said, however, there don’t seem to be too many rumblings around the internet. It appears that Dave is genuinely sorry for offending people with his work. Hopefully, he will remember to be more mindful in the future.
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