Criticism
If I Ran the Zoo has been criticized for its use of racial stereotypes and caricatures. In a 1988 biography of Dr. Seuss, Ruth K. MacDonald notes the presence of “occasional stereotypes of native peoples potbellied, thick-lipped blacks from Africa, squinty eyed Orientals,” that “may offend some modern readers.” A study published in the journal Research on Diversity in Youth Literature noted the presence of dehumanizing stereotypes of East Asian and Middle Eastern characters. The Canadian Book and Periodical Council's Freedom to Read project listed the book as having been challenged in 2015 for “for insensitivity and ethnic stereotyping.”