Dr. Seuss Classic "Hop on Pop" Offends Toronto Public Library Patron Who Demands That It (Along With Many Other "Offensive" Titles) Be Removed From Library Shelves

Some people--like this individual, for example--have way too much time on their hands:

A popular tale by Dr. Seuss was one of seven books that patrons have asked Toronto Public Library to remove from its collection over the past year. 

A library patron asked the library's materials review committee to pull "Hop on Pop," a children's classic written in 1963, because of the book's violent themes. 

The complainant said the book encouraged children to use violence against their fathers, according to the document that listed books patrons have asked to be pulled from Toronto Public Library shelves, which was posted online Monday.

A library patron asked the Toronto Public Library's materials review committee to pull 'Hop on Pop,' written by Dr. Seuss in 1963. 

The patron recommended the book be removed, and requested the Toronto Public Library not only apologize to Greater Toronto Area fathers but pay damages resulting from the book's violent message. 

But the committee decided that the book was designed to engage children, and that the story actually advises children against hopping on their fathers. 

Seuss wrote: "HOP POP We like to hop. We like to hop on top of Pop. STOP You must not hop on Pop." 

The book was retained in the children's collection...

Full disclosure: Not too long after 9/11, I complained to the TPL because I found a video with the risible title "Osama bin Laden: A Non-Threatening Profile" nestled amongst the Barney videos and Disney movies in my local library's kid-vid section. Following my complaint, the library ended up removing the thing from the kiddies department and putting it in the adults' section. That was some time before free speech and censorship issues were on my radar, though. I don't know that I'd do the same today.