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Feb 03, 2018gomez7 rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
Snow White and the 77 Dwarfs, by Davide Cali, should be removed from the library collection. It may have been considered a cute book for adults, in the juvenile-book style, during some bygone era – perhaps the era of Edward Corey, when the macabre was viewed as sexy, and suicide was amusing. As a children’s book, however, it is truly horrible. For example: • On the very first double-page illustration (Snow White standing in forest at night), we see Snow White depicted with a waist size about the same circumference as her elbow. • The second illustration (77 names) the waist can be measured to be 1/12th (!) the width of her shoulders. • The third illustration (Snow White hanging laundry) conveys a strong impression that Snow White wears a push-up bra. • Every illustration of Snow White has a carefully drawn vertical line to convey breast cleavage. • Snow White’s sole purpose in the book is to do the chores for 77 men: “First came the laundry. Then there was beard maintenance.” Then there was serving breakfast, packing lunches, preparing dinner, washing dishes. She is subjected to complaints in the dinner scene, and when she asks for help in the kitchen all the male characters disappear. • Exhausted, Snow White decides to leave, and take her chances with the witch. When asked if she would like a “nice poisoned apple, young girl”, she responds, “I’ll take two!” This book is a disgraceful example of stereotypes and wildly unrealistic expectations regarding body-image. It is also disgusting in its overt message that the sole role of young girls – or any female – is to serve men by cleaning up after them and that if they cannot do that, then they should just kill themselves. This book is housed at the Saratoga branch of the county library. Please, librarians, do the right thing and remove this book from our collection. Our children – girls AND boys – do not need this kind of example!