'Captain Underpants' creator removes 'passively racist' book off shelves

• Author: HAGAY HACOHEN
• Date: 30 March 2021
• Published date: 30 March 2021

Scholastic publishing reported it would take The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future off the shelves in a move fully backed by Pilkey himself. In the book, two cavemen, one black and the other white, master Kung-Fu from a Chinese master of the martial art.

The publishing house expressed regret over this "serious mistake."

The Ook and Gluk book was a best-seller when it was first released. In it, Ook marries the daughter of Kung Fu Master Wong. Yet Billy Jim, a Korean-American father of two, complained about the book and how Wong is painted and depicted in it.

In an online petition he claimed his children, Ages 5 and 7, love the works by Pilkey and expressed his dismay over Wong being rescued by his own students who use Kung-Fu skills he himself taught them.

Pilkey apologized in person to Mr. Jim and said he would donate the profits from the book to various groups meant to advance Asian-Americans and diversity in publishing.

Pilkey said he had "intended to showcase diversity, equality and nonviolent conflict resolution...But this week it was brought to my attention that this book also contains harmful racial stereotypes and passively...