Jamie Oliver has pulled his second children’s book, Billy and the Epic Escape, from Australian shelves following condemnation of its “harmful and disrespectful” Indigenous plot.
The British chef, 49, has twice apologized for his fantasy novel, in which his villain kidnaps a young Aboriginal girl from a shelter in a chapter titled “Stealing a Child.”
Billy And The Epic Escape was criticized by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC).
The educational body asked that the book, a 400-page fantasy novel for elementary school children, be withdrawn from circulation.
Natsiec executive director Sharon Davis criticized the implications that First Nations families “are easily influenced by money and neglect the safety of their children.”
On Sunday, Oliver and publisher Penguin Random House UK announced that they had pulled the book from shelves in all countries where it has rights, including the United Kingdom and Australia.
This news comes a day after Oliver published his own apology for “stereotyping” indigenous Australians in his second children’s book, which was published in May.
“I am devastated to know that I have caused offense and I apologize for doing so,” Oliver told The Guardian in a statement.
Jamie Oliver, 49, (pictured) has withdrawn her second children’s book, Billy and the Epic Escape, from sale following conviction over its indigenous plot.
“I am listening, reflecting and working closely with my editor on next steps.”
The celebrity chef is currently in Australia promoting his latest cookbook, Simply Jamie.
“It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue,” he said. “Together with my editors we have decided to withdraw the book from sale.”
In particular, the chapter titled Stealing a Child appears to be a reference to The Stolen Generations, a dark period in history in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were separated from their families by the federal and state governments. from Australia.
For about a century, thousands of Aboriginal children were systematically removed from their families, communities and culture.
‘These children were taken away by the police; from their homes; on the way to or from school,’ according to the Healing Foundation. ‘They were placed in more than 480 institutions, adopted or fostered by non-Indigenous people and often subjected to abuse.
‘The children were denied all access to their culture, were not allowed to speak their language and were punished if they did. The impacts of this are still felt today.”
“It perpetuates a racist stereotype that has been used to justify the removal of children for more than a century,” said NAITSEC Executive Director Davis.
“This description is not only offensive but also reinforces harmful prejudices.”
The British chef sparked backlash when his book (pictured) sees the villain kidnapping a young Aboriginal girl from a foster home in a story deemed “harmful” and “disrespectful” by First Nations communities.
Oliver and his editor have admitted that there was no consultation with indigenous Australians before the book was published.
Penguin Random House UK apologized for “editorial oversight.”
Davies said the book “perpetuated harmful stereotypes” and its depiction of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was “irresponsible”.
“We urge Penguin Books and Jamie Oliver to recognize the impact of their content and take swift action to prevent further damage,” he told The Guardian.
“Penguin Books should remove Billy and the Epic Escape from circulation, specifically removing all content involving First Nations characters and cultural references.”
The book is Oliver’s 2024 follow-up to his 2023 children’s book debut, Billy and the Giant Adventure.
Now Oliver and publisher Penguin Random House UK have pulled the book from shelves after its release in May, after issuing an official apology, The Guardian reported on Sunday.
The story takes place in England, but features a subplot of a young First Nations girl living in foster care, before being stolen by the book’s antagonist from her indigenous community near Alice Springs.
The book also contained errors because Oliver had attempted to use words indigenous to the Arrernte language of Alice Springs and the Gamilaraay people of New South Wales and Queensland.
Oliver is currently in Australia to present a live talk about his new book Simply Jamie at the Sydney Coliseum called Jamie Oliver: The Joy of Cooking.
Oliver first rose to fame on the cooking show The Naked Chef, which ran from 1999 to 2001.
His television and publishing career has allowed him to sell more than 46 million books worldwide and reach an estimated global television audience of 67 million.