The executives at ABRAMS have decided to discontinue the publication of Bad Little Children’s Books. This satirical humor book by Arthur C. Gackley (a pseudonym) features parodies of noteworthy covers from children’s books.
Shortly after the September 2016 release of Bad Little Children’s Books, several commentators cried out on social media that they found many of the covers to be highly offensive. Upon hearing all of this criticism, the anonymous author asked that ABRAMS stop publishing this book. The company chose to respect this request.
Here’s an excerpt from the author’s statement: “Satire can be ugly, but the dictionary defines it more specifically as ‘the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.’ However, the book is clearly not being read by some in the way I had intended—as satire—and, more disturbingly, is being misread as the very act of hate and bigotry that the work was meant to expose, not promote. For this reason, I have asked ABRAMS to cease publishing the book.”