Borders Shelves Kids' Tintin Title in Adult Section
By Karen Holt -- Publishers Weekly, 7/17/2007 6:23:00 AM
U.S. Borders stores will stock the popular but controversial children's book Tintin in the Congo in an adult-oriented section of the store because of material the retailer says "could be considered offensive by some of our customers."
The book by Belgian artist Herge was first published in 1931, then updated and colorized in the 1940s. The newer version will be published in the U.S. for the first time this fall by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. San Fancisco-based publisher Last Gasp released a back and white facsimile edition of the original in 2002. Part of a series of 24 books centered on the adventurer Tintin, the book depicts black Africans that strongly resemble monkeys and dialogue widely considered racist. It was removed from the children's section of U.K. Borders stores and reshelved with the graphic novels last week following complaints of offensive material.
Borders in the U.S. released a statement about the book after PW raised the issue last week. Spokesperson Ann Binkley said the retailer carries some titles from the Tintin series in its children’s sections. She added that the Borders is, "committed to acting responsibly as a retailer and with sensitivity to all of the communities we serve. Therefore, with respect to the specific title Tintin in the Congo, which could be considered offensive by some of our customers, we have decided to place this title in a section of our store intended primarily for adults—the Graphic Novels section. We believe adults have the capacity to evaluate this work within historical context and make their own decision whether to read it or not. Other “Tintin” titles will remain in the children’s section."
Meanwhile Dara La Porte, manager of the children's department of Politics & Prose in Washington DC, decided after seeing a U.K.-published edition of the book in 2005 not to sell it because of the racist content. "We got it in back a year and a half ago and returned it. We don’t carry it. If Little, Brown has changed it in some way we might consider carrying it," she said.
In a statement on its Web site, Little, Brown acknowledges the book "may be considered somewhat controversial as it reflects the colonial attitudes of the time it was created." A belly band with a similar statement will be wrapped around U.S. editions of the book.
