Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever / El mejor libro de palabras de Richard Scarry Book

Although I never actually experienced the original English language edition of Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever as a child in Germany, the triple language German, English and French version titled Mein allerschönstes Wörterbuch Deutsch - Englisch - Französisch was one of my very favourite educational word learning picture books (and indeed a favourite language teaching and learning tool for the entire family) when I was about eight and nine years of age (1974 to 1975). And of course, I was therefore also keen on reading Best Word Book Ever although that the version of the book currently in print and most readily (and cheaply) available for purchase is the 2013 50th anniversary edition (which has been both abridged and made more so-called politically correct for the 21st century) did both bother me and intrigue me at the same time, and yes, that it would indeed be academically worthwhile and enlightening comparing and contrasting my unabridged 1974 German, French and English copy with the 2o13 50th anniversary special edition of Best Word Book Ever I had just purchased. And truth be told, while I have certainly very much enjoyed Best Word Book Ever in its 2013 incarnation and do think that for the most part, Richard Scarry's combination of words and images are relatively similar if I compare them to Mein allerschönstes Wörterbuch Englisch - Deutsch -Französisch (which was also the closest I could get comparing the 2013 Best Word Book Ever to earlier editions), I do find some of the changes and omissions a bit strange and possibly even problematic and I also do have to wonder why certain scenes that I have always had issues with have not been touched, have been totally left alone (not that I actually would have wanted them to be changed, but still).

For example, in the scene featuring the Rabbit House, while I do understand and even consider it positive that in the 2013 Best Word Book Ever edition, both Father Rabbit and Mother Rabbit are sharing cooking duties (unlike in Mein allerschönstes Wörterbuch Deutsch - English -Französisch where Mother Rabbit is is busy in the kitchen and Father Rabbit is getting dressed to go to work, which probably also mirrors older incarnations of Best Word Book Ever), I do find it a bit strange that most of the objects depicted in the house that could be seen as old technology are still shown as such, that there is a very old fashioned telephone, a vinyl record player and a television aerial depicted (for me personally, quite delightful, as I would have absolutely have despised seeing this changed to modern, contemporary technology, but of course with the caveat that parents reading Best Word Book Ever with or to their children might need to explain what a vinyl record player and a television aerial even are).

And yes, I do find it absolutely annoying and in my opinion actually totally unacceptable that in the 2013 Best Word Book Ever edition the toy section has been so greatly reduced and that almost EVERY SINGLE TOY that in Mein alleschönstes Wörterbuch Deutsch - Englisch - Französisch and of course also (likely) in the older English language editions of Best Word Book Ever showed toys that generally would appeal to girls have simply not been included anymore. I mean, why are there no dolls, no depictions anymore of a little girl having a tea party and no doll houses in this here Best Word Book Ever? And why are there equally no longer a toy castle and a bow and arrow set being shown? Does the publisher somehow think that dolls and other "girly" toys are in and of themselves so gender biased they should no longer even be included in a list of toys and that toy castles and bow and arrow games automatically promote violence? Really kind of sad, because toys are toys and actually both girls and boys often and even today still enjoy playing with dolls and with castles etc. And really, if the publisher truly thought that some of the toys originally included in Best Word Book Ever were potentially problematic, well, that could have easily been remedied with supplemental notes etc. as just removing certain and by many children very much beloved toys such as dolls, doll houses, castles and the like, I for one do consider this rather ignorant and insulting at best.

And finally, furthermore, while I do understand that in the 2013 edition of Best Word Book Ever, the scene depicting the Wild West (including some rather offensive names for Native Americans such as Papoose and Squaw) have been removed, considering that this scene would also in my opinion be a wonderful vehicle for discussion (and especially with older children), I for one rather do wish that the Wild West scene had not just been completely erased but had simply been relegated to the end of Best Word Book Ever as a supplemental scene (although I probably would still be wanting the words Squaw and Papoose to be changed into more politically and socially acceptable vocabulary choices). And really, if the Wild West scene of Best Word Book Ever is so totally anathema and politically incorrect to completely remove it, should there not also be perhaps at the very least some questions raised regarding the suitability in 2013 of both the circus and and the zoo illustrative spreads (for come on, the way that Richard Scarry depicts zoos in Best Word Book Ever, while acceptable and suitable for the 1960s and 1970s, it certainly to and for my eyes looks not particularly animal friendly in 2013, with tiny enclosures and animals simply caged in non species appropriate environments, not to mention that many circuses no longer even feature animal performers and yes, especially that circus scene has always bothered me both as a child and now, because it simply just to and for me makes it seem so totally acceptable without criticism that using animals for entertainment purposes is fine).