Puffin Books will offer readers two versions of British author Roald Dahl’s books.
One option will include the original text. The other option will provide readers with revised versions with potentially offensive language removed.
In a press release, the publishing company said, “Puffin UK announces today the release of ‘The Roald Dahl Classic Collection’ to keep the author’s classic texts in print.”
“These seventeen titles will be published under the Penguin logo, as individual titles in paperback, and will be available later this year,” it continued. “The books will include archive material relevant to each of the stories.”
Additionally, it noted the Classic Collection will “sit alongside the newly released Puffin Roald Dahl books for young readers, which are designed for children who may be nagivating written content independently for the first time.”
Finally, the press release stated, “Readers will be free to choose which version of Dahl’s stories they prefer.”
Check out the statement below:
BREAKING: Publishers of Roald Dahl's novels have decided to continue to publish the classic texts alongside the new 'modern' versions – the day after The Queen Consort urged authors not to allow their freedom of expression to be curbed.
— Cameron Walker (@CameronDLWalker) February 24, 2023
"Readers will be free to choose". pic.twitter.com/fNW0z8tqO8
Friday’s press release comes after Puffin and The Roald Dahl Story Co. came under fire after announcing changes to Dahl’s children’s books.
Dahl wrote several books such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox.”
In an example of one of the changes, Augustus Gloop in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is not described as “fat” in the updated version. Instead, he is labeled “enormous.”
Additionally, Oompa-Loompas in the same story are no longer called “small men.” Now they are referred to as “small people.”
NPR also noted, “The changes to these books include adding language not originally written by Dahl. In his 1983 book ‘The Witches,’ he writes that witches are bald beneath their wigs. According to The Telegraph, an added line in new editions says, ‘There are plenty of other reasons why women might wear wigs and there is certainly nothing wrong with that.'”
The decision to change the text in Dahl’s books drew criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Novelist and free speech icon Salman Rushdie tweeted, “Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship. Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.”
Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship. Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed. https://t.co/sdjMfBr7WW
— Salman Rushdie (@SalmanRushdie) February 18, 2023
If Puffin and The Roald Dahl Story Co. decide some of the content is too offensive, they can change it if they want. There is no law against it.
Still, some of the changes are just bizarre. Who thinks calling Oompa-Loompas “small men” is offensive? It is how Dahl envisioned the characters, and it helps give readers, especially young readers, a picture of what these unique figures look like.
The move also demonstrates the age-old tendency to believe the current generation and popular worldview is correct, or superior, while leaving out the possibility that perhaps older views had wisdom or value. It also disregards the idea that seeing how people spoke or acted, while offensive, in older generations, could provide lessons on mistakes to avoid.
Some of the reported changes to Dahl’s books were just weird. And going back to change old texts is a little creepy. But at least readers will be able to read the texts in their original versions if they want to.
