Jamie Oliver Pulls Children’s Book Amid Criticism of Insensitivity

The British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has halted sales of his children’s book around the world and issued an apology in response to accusations that the book stereotyped Australian Indigenous culture.

The book, “Billy and the Epic Escape,” released in March by Penguin Random House UK, features aFirst Nations character named Ruby, who has mystical powers and is abducted from her home in Central Australia.

Among the criticisms of the book was that its descriptions of the girl’s powers appeared to liken the First Nations’ complex spiritual beliefs to “magic” and failed to differentiate between their many languages and traditions. In one example, critics said, Ruby uses First Nations words that would not be realistic based on where her character was brought up.

The book is a sequel to Mr. Oliver’s debut children’s book, “Billy and the Giant Adventure,” which was published in 2023. “Billy and the Epic Escape” follows the same group of children on a fantasy adventure during summer vacation.

Calls to pull the book from shelves were led by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation, an educational group that works on behalf of First Nations communities in Australia. In a statement released this month, the group called Mr. Oliver’s depictions “irresponsible and damaging, reflecting a profound lack of understanding and respect.”

The book’s depiction of Ruby’s abduction from her home in Australia — in a chapter titled “To Steal a Child” — was particularly insensitive, the group said. The country continues to reckon with the history of the so-called Stolen Generations, which refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly taken from their families in the 20th century and placed in government-run assimilation programs.