A new fiction book about the life of George Washington will not be offered from the book publisher Scholastic.
The children's book "A Birthday Cake for George Washington," written by Ramin Ganeshram and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton will not be distributed by the company because it believes "the book may give a false impression of the reality of the lives of slaves," Scholastic posted on its website.
The book was released Jan. 5 and came under fire for its upbeat story of Washington's cook, Hercules, who is a slave and his daughter, Delia, preparing a cake for Washington, The Associated Press reported.
"A Birthday Cake for George Washington" has more than 100 one-star reviews on Amazon.
One trade journal has called the book "an incomplete, even dishonest treatment of slavery," The AP reported.
Ganeshram said that the book was based on historical research and honored slaves' skill and resourcefulness.
About the Author
