A children’s book about coronavirus in Germany has been pulled by publisher Carlsen-Verlag after being threatened with legal action by the Chinese consulate in Hamburg, which took exception to the book naming China as the origin of the virus.

Teaching children about the coronavirus

Ein Corona-Regenbogen für Anna und Moritz ("A Corona Rainbow for Anna and Moritz") is a children’s book written by Constanze Steindamm and illustrated by Dorothea Tust. According to its German publisher, the book aims to provide "the most important tips for daycare centres and elementary schools on how to behave properly during coronavirus pandemic."

As the publisher explains, the book is about "explaining the far-reaching changes to everyday life during the pandemic as well as the hygiene precautions and behavioural measures that children and adults alike can take to protect themselves from infection." Carlsen-Verlag explained that it was important to offer such a book for children, one based on facts that teaches them how to behave during the pandemic.

No links to China!

Following the release of the book, the Chinese consulate in Hamburg threatened Carlsen-Verlag with legal action, demanded that the book was recalled, and a public apology issued. The reason for such a strong reaction is a line in the book regarding the origins of the virus: “The virus came from China and has spread from there all over the world.”

Chinese journalist Shi Ming explained that Beijing fears that if the virus is positively linked to China, not only would the country’s image suffer but they could become subject to insurmountable compensation claims. It has also been suggested that the Chinese government wants to present its own narrative of how effectively the country has managed to deal with coronavirus. Either way, the government is going out of its way to silence the narrative that the virus originated in China.

Carlsen-Verlag has complied with the Chinese consulates demands and has cut the supply of the book. Another edition is already being printed with slightly different wording regarding the origins of the virus. Speaking of the original print, the publishing house stated, “Today we would no longer use this wording, as its meaning has proven to be far more open to interpretation than we had intended."