Suddenly on Tuesday, after the company that publishes Dr. Seuss books announced it would stop selling six of his titles — “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer” — those books could not be found on Amazon.com for their normal prices, and any editions for sale had astronomical prices.
For example, when searching for “If I Ran The Zoo,” the Amazon site listed “1 new,” “1 used,” and “1 collectible,” but when clicking on the links for “new” or “used,” a message popped up reading, “Currently there are no other sellers matching your location and/or item specification.” Yet a “collectible” link showed the book available for $1,500.
“McElligot’s Poll” listed only two collectible books, each selling for $2,500. The description of the book stated:
Imagination runs wild in this Caldecott Honor-winning tale featuring Dr. Seuss’s inimitable voice and hysterical illustrations. The first Seuss title to feature full-color art on every other page, this adventurous picture book tells of Marco-who first imagined an extraordinary parade in And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street-as he daydreams of all the possibilities that await him while he fishes in McElligot’s Pool. Optimistic and exciting, this tale is the perfect bait, and readers young and old will be hooked on this fish-tastic favorite.
“On Beyond Zebra” listed two “used” books, with prices of $169 and $768. “Scrambled Eggs Super” listed one copy for $900. “The Cat’s Quizzer” listed two books, each over $1,000.
And on the site for Dr. Seuss’s first book, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” no books at all are listed. The description of that book reads:
Dr. Seuss’s very first book for children! From a mere horse and wagon, young Marco concocts a colorful cast of characters, making Mulberry Street the most interesting location in town. Dr. Seuss’s signature rhythmic text, combined with his unmistakable illustrations, will appeal to fans of all ages, who will cheer when our hero proves that a little imagination can go a very long way. (Who wouldn’t cheer when an elephant-pulled sleigh raced by?) Now over seventy-five years old, this story is as timeless as ever. And Marco’s singular kind of optimism is also evident in McElligot’s Pool.
On Tuesday, the birthday of Theodore Seuss Geisel, known to children around the world as Dr. Seuss, Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press in a statement, “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong. Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families.”
The organization also stated, “Dr. Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field as part of our review process. We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalog of titles.”
