Side-By-Side Photos Show Important Changes To Bestselling Kids' Book

The newer edition has removed harmful outdated stereotypes.

In 1963, author Richard Scarry published Best Word Book Ever, which soon became a bestselling children's classic.

Since then, the book has undergone a few changes to keep up with social progress -- from removing offensive cultural references to updating gender norms.

A senior editor at The Atlantic named Alan Taylor noticed these updates when he looked at his children's 1991 edition of the book and compared it to his memories of the 1963 edition, which he'd "read to tatters" as a small child.

He went through both versions and put various pages next to each other for direct comparison.

Courtesy Alan Taylor

Taylor originally posted the side-by-side photos on Flickr in 2005, but they reached a wider audience earlier this month, when Mental Floss syndicated a 2010 article from Sociological Images.

Here are some of those images for comparison, with the 1963 edition on the left and top and the 1991 version on the right and bottom.

Courtesy Alan Taylor
In the most recent version of the book, a male bunny cooks alongside the female bunny in the kitchen, a female farmer joins the male farmer in the field, the police officer bear is female, the "mail man" becomes a "letter carrier" and the cat pushing the stroller changes from a mom to a dad.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
The 1991 edition is more inclusive with a menorah for Hanukkah.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
The "handsome pilot" and "pretty stewardess"simply become a "pilot" and "flight attendant."
Courtesy Alan Taylor
The cowboy is replaced by a gardener and female scientist. The "policeman" and "fireman" titles become the less gender-specific "police officer" and "fire fighter."
Courtesy Alan Taylor
The language becomes softer and loses the implication that female bears prepare breakfast for male bears.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
"I" is now only for "ice cream" and not "Indian" characters in stereotypical headdresses.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
Other outdated references to Native American culture were removed. An entire "Wild West" section is missing from 1991 edition.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
"Fireman" again changes to "fire fighter" and the "beautiful screaming lady" becomes a "cat in danger" (because everyone is worthy of being saved).
Courtesy Alan Taylor
Again, the male bunny enters the kitchen and gets involved in the cooking.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
In addition to new occupations, the teacher becomes male.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
The dentist goes from male to female.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
The sailboat no longer has a woman's name.
Courtesy Alan Taylor
A girl cat chases a boy cat, a boy cat plays "Ring-Around-the-Rosie" with the girl cats and a girl pig joins a boy pig playing marbles.

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