Publisher Penguin Random House announced Friday it will publish 鈥渃lassic鈥� unexpurgated versions of Roald Dahl鈥檚 children鈥檚 novels after it received that were intended to make the books suitable for modern readers.
Along with the new editions, the company said 17 of Dahl鈥檚 books would be published in their original form later this year as 鈥淭he Roald Dahl Classic Collection鈥� so 鈥渞eaders will be free to choose which version of Dahl鈥檚 stories they prefer.鈥�
The move comes after criticism of changes made to 鈥淐harlie and the Chocolate Factory鈥� and other much-loved classics for recent editions published under the company鈥檚 Puffin children鈥檚 label, in which passages relating to weight, mental health, gender and race were altered.
Augustus Gloop, Charlie鈥檚 gluttonous antagonist in 鈥淐harlie and the Chocolate Factory鈥� 鈥� originally published in 1964 鈥� became 鈥渆normous鈥� rather than 鈥渆normously fat.鈥� In 鈥淲itches,鈥� a supernatural female posing as an ordinary woman may be a 鈥渢op scientist or running a business鈥� instead of a 鈥渃ashier in a supermarket or typing letters for a businessman.鈥�
The Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the rights to the books, said it had worked with Puffin to review and revise the texts because it wanted to ensure that 鈥淒ahl鈥檚 wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today.鈥�
While tweaking old books for modern sensibilities is not a new phenomenon in publishing, the scale of the edits drew strong criticism from free-speech groups such as writers鈥� organization PEN America, and from authors including Salman Rushdie.
Camilla, the queen consort, appeared to offer her view at a literary reception on Thursday. She urged writers to 鈥渞emain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination.鈥�
Dahl鈥檚 books, with their mischievous children, strange beasts and often beastly adults, have sold more than 300 million copies and continue to be read by children around the world. Their multiple stage and screen adaptations include 鈥淢atilda the Musical鈥� and two 鈥淲illy Wonka鈥� films based on 鈥淐harlie and the Chocolate Factory,鈥� with a third in the works.
But Dahl, who died in 1990, is also a controversial figure because of antisemitic comments made throughout his life. His family apologized in 2020.
In 2021, Dahl鈥檚 estate sold the rights to the books to Netflix, which plans to produce a new generation of films based on the stories.
Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children鈥檚, said the publisher had 鈥渓istened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl鈥檚 books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation.鈥�
鈥淩oald Dahl鈥檚 fantastic books are often the first stories young children will read independently, and taking care for the imaginations and fast-developing minds of young readers is both a privilege and a responsibility,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e also recognize the importance of keeping Dahl鈥檚 classic texts in print,鈥� Dow said. 鈥淏y making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl鈥檚 magical, marvelous stories.鈥�
鈥擩ill Lawless, The Associated Press
