My son is in Kindergarten. The school has given out a competitive assignment. The kids are supposed to do a book report poster about their favorite Dr. Seuss book.
Of course, you expect a lot of kids are going to do Hop on Pop, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, and The Cat in the Hat.
That’s fine for them. We’re different.
It is at this moment that I am very glad I own a copy of Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel.
Yes, it is very true that before he became a renowned children’s author – his most popular books were all published in the 1950’s – he did political cartoons promoting the war effort in WWII.
The thing is, I know, KNOW, that as soon as my son brings in his book report poster about Dr. Seuss fighting Nazis, I’m going to get a call from the school, and maybe the Alabama Office of Child Protective Services.
That’s just too bad because it really is an absolutely fantastic book.
If you don’t own a copy, you should. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited if you have that.
No just did Theodor Seuss Geisel promote the war effort against the Nazis, but he was amazingly critical of American Antisemitism, racism, segregation, and the treatment of blacks by the war industry.
Here is a selection of some of my favorite Dr. Seuss cartoons.
Criticizing the treatment of blacks:
Attacking American Antisemitism:
This one is particularly interesting because Charles Lindbergh was still a national hero in the pre-War era.
Just a general critique of racism in general.
You can see Dr. Seuss’ continued push against racism and discrimination in his children’s stories like The Sneetches.
The lessons from this book are as important and relevant as any of his other literature.
When I saw this book years ago, I knew that I had to buy it, and reading through it gave me an even greater appreciation for Dr. Seuss.
I just have a feeling Kindergarten teachers won’t see it that way.
Yep, THAT conversation ought to be entertaining!
“Mr J KB, your son did not refer to a Dr. Seuss book!”
” Uh, ma’am, yes, he did. ”
“But, that author is Theodore Geisel!”
(Your reply:) “…..Uh, Ma’am…..? Do you know anything about the man, at all?”
ROFL! Brilliant 😀
I have a feeling there’s going to be a bunch of teachers that will “get the vapors,” so give your kid a Go-Pro camera to catch the libtard teacher’s heads imploding. 😉
Amazon is shipping me the paper back version. Should be here soon enough. Then to let me lady, a teacher, read it, then my kids.
Bravo on showing the real background behind this cartoonist. If only the mainstream media were to be believed, he’s a flaming racist, and especially so since his work was in a gift, given early in the Trump administration.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2017/10/06/dr-seuss-books-racist-experts-weigh-controversy/740978001/
That article made my blood boil. Holy fuck. Geisel was very critical of racism in America. Admittedly he was hard on the Japanese in his war propaganda, but we were at war with them. That he drew a stereotype of a Chinese character in 1937 and pales in comparison to the work he did arguing against segregation and southern anti-black racism in his political cartoons.
Geisel wrote ‘Design for Death,’ which won the 1947 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. It was a commercially released film, intended to explain the reason and importance of American involvement in Japan not merely as an occupying force but as a rehabilitating influence to guide them away from authoritarianism. Geisel’s main message was that another world war could only be prevented by the development of responsible, representative republican governments throughout the world.
I can’t find a copy of it online, but it’s similar to the
training film Geisel also wrote – ‘Our Job in Japan’ – that was meant to help train G.I.’s being stationed in Post-War Japan
https://youtu.be/fEZW_6EM1Ms
I love the old war training films. Back when Hollywood was patriotic, so may films were made my Warner Bros it was insane. Elmer Fudd and Buggs Bunny teaching airmen how to man a waist gun on a Flying Fortress and use an anti tank rifle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtgAyGa79F8
Gee and when we did it we used this book by Dr. Seuss:
https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Lady-Godivas-Concerning-Historys/dp/0394562690
Dan DeCarlo, the cartoonist famous for the icon style of the wholesome Archie Comics in the 1950s and created Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Josie and the Pussycats spent his earlier years doing Pin Up art.
If like every boy who read Betty and Veronica, you wanted to see them more risque, that’s pretty much what his Pinups were like.
https://www.amazon.com/Pin-Up-Art-Dan-DeCarlo/dp/1560976195