Publisher backflips on Roald Dahl rewrites
The original versions of Roald Dahl’s children’s books are to be kept in print following a wave of criticism of their re-editing
READING LEVEL: GREEN
A book publisher in the UK has announced it will release the original versions of Roald Dahl’s children’s books to keep the “classic texts in print” following a criticism* over their re-editing for today’s audience*.
“We’ve listened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed* the extraordinary* power of Roald Dahl’s books,” said Ms Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children’s books.
“Roald Dahl’s fantastic books are often the first stories young children will read independently*, and taking care for the imaginations and fast-developing* minds of young children is both a privilege and a responsibility.
“We also recognise the importance of keeping Dahl’s classic texts in-print*.”
She said readers could now choose whether to read the original or re-edited versions.
Novelist Salman Rushdie led condemnations* after it was revealed that Dahl’s books had undergone rewrites, calling it “absurd censorship*”.
The publisher had made hundreds of changes to characters and language in Dahl’s stories including making the diminutive* Oompa-Loompas in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” gender neutral* and calling Augustus Gloop enormous rather than fat.
Mrs Twit in “The Twits” is also no longer ugly, but beastly instead, while the Cloud-Men in “James and the Giant Peach” are now “Cloud-People”.
The criticism came amid a growing trend for publishers to employ so-called “sensitivity readers” who work alongside editors to identify references to gender, race, weight, violence or mental health that might offend readers.
A spokesperson for the Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the rights to the books, said it was not unusual for publishers “to review the language used” for new print runs.
But the edits sparked huge criticism.
Even Queen Consort* Camilla told members of her online book club to “please remain true to your calling, unimpeded* by those who may wish to curb* the freedom of your expression or impose* limits on your imagination”.
Mr Dahl’s books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.
Some of his most popular stories have been turned into blockbuster films such as “Matilda the Musical” and “The BFG”.
GLOSSARY
- criticism: the expression of disapproval of someone or something
- audience: the readership of a newspaper, magazine, or book
- reaffirmed: say something again strongly
- extraordinary: very unusual or remarkable
- independently: without help
- fast-developing: growing very quickly
- in print: in published form
- condemnation: to strongly disapprove
- censorship: to forbid any parts of books, films, news, et cetera
- diminutive: extremely small
- gender-neutral: not relating to a particular gender
- unimpeded: not slowed or interfered with
- Queen Consort: the wife of a reigning king
- curb: to restrain or control
- impose: something that needs to be followed, done or obeyed
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QUICK QUIZ
- Why are Roald Dahl’s classic books being rewritten?
- Which famous novelist disagreed with what the book’s publisher was doing?
- In the rewritten version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Oompa-Loompas are now what?
- What advice did Queen Consort Camilla give to her book club readers?
- How many books has Roald Dahl sold worldwide?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. For and against
Think of arguments both for and against changing the possibly ‘offensive’ words out of older and classic texts such as the ones by author Roald Dahl.
Create two columns on a page - one with the heading "For" and the other with the heading "Against - and then work with a partner and write your reasons in the For and Against columns.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and social, Critical and creative thinking.
2. Extension
Do you think it’s important to ensure the classic versions of these texts are reprinted in the original version, not the re-edited version? Why/why not?
Do you think changing words such as fat, ugly, men, women will affect the original story? Explain your answer.
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and social, Critical and creative thinking.
VCOP ACTIVITY
Wow word recycle
There are plenty of wow words (ambitious pieces of vocabulary) being used in the article. Some are in the glossary, but there might be extra ones from the article that you think are exceptional as well.
Identify all the words in the article that you think are not common words, and particularly good choices for the writer to have chosen.
Select three words you have highlighted to recycle into your own sentences.
If any of the words you identified are not in the glossary, write up your own glossary for them.