Amazon Pulls Ads for Matt Walsh’s Children’s Book

Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire broke the news on Wednesday that his bestselling children’s book Johnny the Walrus had been barred by Amazon from advertising on the platform.

Amazon said that the Walsh’s children’s book, which challenges the narrative of transgender activism, was not “appropriate,” pulled it from the category of children’s books, and labeled it political commentary.

The letter from Amazon to Daily Wire books read:

“In an effort to continuously improve our customer experience, we periodically review active campaigns. On the basis of the recent review, below is the status of your ads in the campaign ‘JTQ_manual'”

They then expressed that the ads for the children’s book are “non-compliant to creative acceptance policies,” and gave the reason that it was “not appropriate for all audiences.”

“To ensure a good customer experience,” they continue, per Walsh, “we reserve the right to restrict ads that contain elements that may not be appropriate for all audiences. This may include erotica; content on sexual preferences such as BDSM; incestuous relationships; sexual contact with person(s) under the age of 18; self-help content (such as dating, get-rich-quick, or weight-loss books); or content that promotes, endorses, or incites potentially dangerous or harmful activity.”

The book is about a boy named Johnny who believed himself to be a walrus, even pretending to have tusks by wearing spoons, and wearing tube socks to mimic being a walrus.

Doctors in the book encourage Johnny’s mother to help him transition to becoming walrus, suggesting they cut his feet to be like fins. Johnny’s mother eventually realizes that Johnny is not a walrus, despite what activists and doctors would have her believe.

The ad pull for Walsh’s children’s book about a walrus happened on the same day that video was leaked showing Amazon employees in literal tears over the book. One employee yelled “You are selling a manual on how to teach kids to bully other kids to commit suicide!”

Walsh spoke to Tucker Carlson about the backlash from Amazon employees over his book. Walsh said that the book “is about true self-acceptance,” wherein the characters learn to “accept who you truly are.” The message of self-acceptance, Walsh said, used to be a common theme, but that now, the going idea is that kids should believe delusions about who you are.”

Walsh said that Amazon employees “want your 9-year-old to read a book that encourages him to sterilize and castrate himself.”

“It’s been a very traumatic experience for transgender Amazonians and our transgender customers,” said an employee. “What I don’t want to come out of this is slamming the books team with a bunch of tickets; they’re already aware of this. There will be there are things in this space that are happening.”

“But ‘Johnny the Walrus’ is a bit of a problematic book. Not a bit, it is — it is not a bit of a problem. It’s one hell of a problem,” the employee said.

“It is teaching kids to kill, well, to bully transgenders. Yeah to-to bully them into committing suicide the LGBTQIA, especially transgenders,” another said.