A Birthday Cake for George Washington facts for kids
 |
|
| Author | Ramin Ganeshram |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Vanessa Brantley-Newton |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fiction |
| Published | 2016 by Scholastic Press |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 978-0-545-53823-7 |
A Birthday Cake for George Washington is a children's book. It was published by Scholastic in 2016. The book was written by Ramin Ganeshram and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton.
The story is told by a character named Delia. She is the daughter of Hercules. Hercules was an enslaved person who worked as a cook for George Washington. The book tells the story of Hercules and Delia baking a birthday cake for Washington. Scholastic removed the book from sale on January 17, 2016. This happened because some people felt the book showed slavery in a way that was too positive.
Why the Book Was Pulled
Scholastic decided to stop selling the book on January 17, 2016. This decision came after many people criticized it. In a public statement, Scholastic explained their choice:
Scholastic has a long history of explaining complex and controversial issues to children at all ages and grade levels. We do not believe this title meets the standards of appropriate presentation of information to younger children, despite the positive intentions and beliefs of the author, editor, and illustrator.
This means Scholastic felt the book did not meet their standards for teaching young children about difficult topics.
Reactions to the Decision
Some groups that support free speech did not agree with Scholastic's decision. These groups included the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and the PEN American Center. They said that removing books because they are controversial can be worrying. The NCAC also said the book helped people talk about how America remembers slavery.
Scholastic replied by saying these groups misunderstood their statement. They said the book was pulled because it did not meet their publishing standards. It was not just because of the criticism. Scholastic, not the author or illustrator, was in charge of the publishing process.
The author, Ramin Ganeshram, spoke to the Associated Press. She said she had told the publisher many times that the enslaved characters seemed "overly jovial." This means they seemed too happy. However, she said the publisher did not listen to her concerns. The book's editor and illustrator did not comment on the situation.
Some people, like Farah Mendlesohn, called Scholastic's action a "product recall." This is like when a company takes back a faulty product. She argued it was not censorship. She felt the book made a serious historical topic seem too happy.
