Introduction to the media issue: Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton: should classic children's books be altered?
Video clip at right: On May 4, 2023, ABC 7.30 televised a segment examining the recent revision of many Roald Dahl children's books. The segment presents views on both sides of the issue and gives background information.
The Issue at a Glance
What they said...'The editors at Puffin should be ashamed of the botched surgery they've carried out on some of the finest children's literature...'
Laura Hackett, deputy literary editor of London's Sunday Times, referring to recent changes made to Roald Dahl stories
'Our guiding principle throughout has been to maintain the storylines, characters, and the irreverence and sharp-edged spirit of the original text. Any changes made have been small and carefully considered'.
Statement from a spokesperson for the Roald Dahl Story Company
The issue at a glance
On February 18, 2023, it was reported that Puffin, the publishers of Roald Dahl's children's books, was going to make hundreds of changes to the language of these books affecting titles such as 'James and the Giant Peach', 'The Twits', 'The Witches', 'Matilda' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. It was claimed that these changes were being made to keep the books accessible and to remove potentially offensive word choices. Edits were generally made around subjects such as weight, mental health, gender, and race.
Though there were some authors and commentators who supported the changes, many others were highly critical, rejecting the changes as damaging and unjustified censorship.
Similar changes have been made to the works of Enid Blyton. On January 11, 2022, it was announced that Enid Blyton's 'The Faraway Tree' had been rewritten to demonstrate social and gender attitudes more in tune with contemporary values.
On February 25, 2023, the extent of language changes to 'The Famous Five' and 'Malory Towers' series was reported. Responses to these changes have varied, with some seeing them as extending the viability of these texts among contemporary readers and others rejecting them as unwarranted.