Penguin Random House Agrees to Issue ‘Classic’ Roald Dahl Books After Editing Backlash

thewrap.com:

remove language deemed offensive from the late British author’s children’s novels with the goal of making the stories suitable for modern readers generated widespread backlash last week.The company said that in addition to the revised editions, 17 of Dahl’s books will be published in their original form later this year as “The Roald Dahl Classic Collection,” The Associated Press reported, citing the company stating that “readers will be free to choose which version of Dahl’s stories they prefer.”Penguin Random House did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.The company’s Puffin children’s label altered passages in Dahl’s books relating to weight, mental health, gender and race to make the titles more palatable to today’s sensibilities.

The move is not uncommon with older books, but the number of edits and books involved drew criticism.In addition to the changed description of the gluttonous Gloop in the 1964 novel later made into movies starring Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, The Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the rights to the books, said it worked with Penguin’s Puffin children’s label to revise books like “Fantastic Mr.

Fox” and “James and the Giant Peach,” because it wanted to ensure that “Dahl’s wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today.”In “Fantastic Mr.