Why Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver’s Children Book Was Pulled From Shelves

British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has withdrawn his latest children’s book, "Billy and the Epic Escape," following a wave of criticism for its portrayal of Indigenous Australians.

The book, released in May, sparked immediate controversy in Australia, where Indigenous leaders condemned it for what they described as a harmful portrayal of Indigenous culture and history. Critics argued that the book trivialized the community's experiences and perpetuated stereotypes that undermine the diversity and struggles of Indigenous Australians.

Jamie Oliver expressed his distress over the unintended offense caused, saying he was “devastated” by the reaction.

The story follows the main antagonist’s abduction of a First Nations character named Ruby, who lives in foster care. However, the book's language reportedly shifts the blame onto Ruby’s family for her circumstances, an aspect that the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC) criticized.

NATSIEC issued a statement saying that this framing “trivializes" the ongoing trauma associated with Australia’s violent history of child removal.

“This trivialization is both culturally insensitive and harmful," it said.

The book also contained inaccuracies, such as the mixing of different Indigenous languages, which NATSIEC noted reinforced the “harmful stereotype that Indigenous peoples are a homogenous group.”

Penguin Random House U.K., the book’s publisher, responded to the backlash by announcing its decision to pull the book from shelves.

“Our mission at Penguin Random House UK is to make books for everyone and with that commitment comes a deep sense of responsibility. It is clear that our publishing standards fell short on this occasion, and we must learn from that and take decisive action," a Penguin Random House U.K. spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE Magazine. "With that in mind, we have agreed with our author, Jamie Oliver, that we will be withdrawing the book from sale."

For decades, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly taken from their families by successive Australian governments as part of a controversial assimilation policy, resulting in intergenerational trauma. Oliver’s book, many argue, echoes that painful legacy in ways that feel insensitive to the historical experiences of Indigenous communities.

“The implication that First Nations families are easily swayed by money and neglect the safety of their children perpetuates a racist stereotype that has been used to justify child removals for over a century,” NATSIEC said in an emailed statement Monday.

While in Australia promoting his cookbook "Simply Jamie," Oliver also issued an apology in a statement.

“I am devastated to have caused offense and apologize wholeheartedly,” he said. "It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue. Together with my publishers, we have decided to withdraw the book from sale."

The organization expressed support for the decision to withdraw the book, "which was developed without any consultation with First Nations people or organizations."

Per the BBC, the book "features an Aboriginal girl with mystical powers living in foster care who is abducted from her home in central Australia."

Prior to the book's withdrawal, NATSIEC described Oliver’s novel as “a reminder of the responsibility that people in positions of influence — teachers, writers, publishers, and all content creators — have to ensure that First Nations-related stories are treated with respect,” in a LinkedIn post on Sunday, November 10.

The statement continued: “The issue was not just the book itself, but the entire process that allowed it to reach bookshelves without any meaningful engagement with First Nations communities. While it is disappointing that First Nations people had to bring attention to these harmful representations about themselves, NATSIEC is pleased to read that Oliver seems to be taking actions to make amends.”

"Billy and the Epic Escape" is the sequel to Oliver’s April 2023 book, "Billy and the Giant Adventure."

In addition to his children’s books, Oliver has published numerous cookbooks and is currently in Australia promoting his latest release, "Simply Jamie."

One week before its launch, Oliver took to Instagram to share an update on the exciting news. "1 WEEK TO GO until my new book 'Simply Jamie' is released to you lovely lot!!!!" he told his fans. "I wanna introduce you to the 'Perfect Puds' chapter.....because we all deserve a sweet treat every now and then don't we. And anything that gets Jools to smile like that is well worth making in my opinion!!"

"Simply Jamie" is out now.