Apparently, when you read a story from one country which features racist imagery; it can become a fun and popular story to others if they have no point of reference.
Case in point-
Little Black Sambo (Japanese Publisher)
Out of context this could be considered funny or cute. Hahaha.. sigh.
Anyway, I've read the text myself and.. golly, I can't really find much to hate in this 'racist' book. Now, that being said, it is a racist book in retrospect; but I ask that you read it yourself. Even better, buy a copy. Start a new trend!
If you look at the cover of the original book, illustrated by the author Helen Bannerman, you discover that Little Black Sambo looks nothing like the traditional American 'pickanniny' artwork so popular during the books darkest heyday. In fact, Sambo almost looks like a boy of Indian descent. Look at his hair and facial features. Hmmm... I believe that racists tainted this book. Also, the introduction at Project Gutenberg sheds more light on the subject. Sounds quite innocuous to me. But hey, I've got more than a few neurons to rub together.
More discussion on the subject
http://www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/picaninny/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickanniny
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambo
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