Roald Dahl collection to be published in original form later this year

Publisher Penguin Random House announced Friday it will publish a “classic” version of Roald Dahl’s children’s novel after receiving criticism for cuts and rewrites intended to make the book more relevant to modern readers.

Along with the new edition, the company said that 17 of Dahl’s books will be published in their original form later this year as the “Roald Dahl Classic Collection,” so that “readers are free to choose their preferred version of Dahl’s story.”

The move follows criticism of the changes being made Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and other beloved classics for a new edition published on the company’s Puffin children’s label, where sections related to weight, mental health, gender and race have been edited.

Augustus Gloop, Charlie’s greedy antagonist Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – originally published in 1964 – became “too big” instead of “too fat.” At witcha supernatural woman posing as an ordinary woman can be “a top scientist or run a business” instead of “a cashier at a supermarket or typing a letter for a businessman.”

WATCH l Reaction is fast and strong, but Dahl’s edits are years old:

Roald Dahl’s books were given an inclusive edit by the publisher

The British publisher of the classic novel Roald Dahl has given the book some tweaks to make the language more inclusive, but critics of the change say it takes away from Dahl’s prose and borders on censorship.

The Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the rights to the book, said it worked with Puffin to review and revise the text because it wanted to ensure that “Dahl’s wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today.”

While tweaking old books for modern sensibilities is not a new phenomenon in publishing, the scale of the edits has drawn strong criticism from free speech groups such as the authors’ organization PEN America, and from authors including Salman Rushdie.

“When it comes to our rich and varied literary heritage, the prime minister agrees with the BFG that you shouldn’t gobblefunk with words,” British Prime Minister’s spokesman Rishi Sunak said this week, using the word-twisting language used by Dahl’s Friendly Giant. .

Camilla, the Queen Consort, was seen giving a look at a literary reception on Thursday. He urged writers to “stay true to your calling, undisturbed by those who want to hinder your freedom of expression or limit your imagination.”

New adaptation in the works

Dahl’s books, with mischievous children, strange animals and often animalistic adults, have sold more than 300 million copies and continue to be read by children around the world.

Various stage and screen adaptations are included Matilda the Musical and the two Willy Wonka movies based on it Charlie and the Chocolate Factorywith a third in the works.

Dahl, who died in 1990, was also a controversial figure for the antisemitic comments he made during his lifetime. His family apologized in a statement in 2020.

In 2021, Dahl’s estate sold the rights to the book to Netflix, which plans to produce a new generation of films based on the story.

Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children’s, said that the publisher has “listened to the debate over the past week that has emphasized the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl’s books and the real question of how stories from another era can remain relevant to each new generation.”

“Roald Dahl’s wonderful books are often the first stories children will read independently, and taking care of the imaginations and minds of rapidly developing young readers is both a privilege and a responsibility,” he said.