NEW YORK — Scholastic has pulled a controversial new picture book about George Washington and his slaves.

“A Birthday Cake for George Washington” was released Jan. 5 and had been strongly criticized for its upbeat images and story of Washington’s cook, the slave Hercules. Its withdrawal was announced Sunday.

“While we have great respect for the integrity and scholarship of the author, illustrator and editor, we believe that, without more historical background on the evils of slavery than this book for younger children can provide, the book may give a false impression of the reality of the lives of slaves and therefore should be withdrawn,” the publisher said.

The book, which depicts Hercules and his daughter preparing a cake for Washington, had received more than 100 one-star reviews on Amazon.com. The trade publication School Library Journal had called it “highly problematic” and recommended against its purchase. Another trade journal, Kirkus Reviews, had called the book “an incomplete, even dishonest treatment of slavery.”

“A Birthday Cake” was written by Ramin Ganeshram, whose previous works include the novel “Stir It Up” and the nonfiction “FutureChefs.” Vanessa Brantley Newton is the illustrator and Andrea Davis Pinkney, an award-winning author whose honors include a Coretta Scott King award for African-American children’s literature, was the editor.

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