Penguin Random House to publish 'classic' Roald Dahl books after censorship criticism


Publisher Penguin Random House has announced plans to publish "classic" unedited versions of several of Roald Dahl's children's books after it faced criticism over its intentions to adjust the text to be more suitable for modern readers, The Associated Press reports.
The company said it would publish 17 of the author's books in their original form as The Roald Dahl Classic Collection along with the planned edited versions so "readers will be free to choose which version of Dahl's stories they prefer." The decision to offer both versions comes after the publisher faced backlash for changing passages related "to weight, mental health, gender, and race" in some of Dahl's classics under the company's Puffin children's label, AP says.
In one example, the publishers altered the description of Augustus Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to "enormous" instead of "enormously fat." The Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the rights to Dahl's books, told AP that it worked with the publisher to review and update the texts because it wanted to ensure that "Dahl's wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While it isn't unheard of for publishing companies to alter old books for "modern sensibilities," AP writes, "the scale of the edits drew strong criticism from free-speech groups such as writers' organization PEN America, and from authors including Salman Rushdie." Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children's, said the ensuing debate over censorship "reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl's books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation."
"We also recognize the importance of keeping Dahl's classic texts in print," Dow added, per AP. "By making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl's magical, marvelous stories."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
Mermaiding: the underwater subculture on the rise
Under the Radar Cosplay meets fitness in an escapist fin-omenon that's making waves around the world
-
Delhi's dogs earn Supreme Court reprieve
IN THE SPOTLIGHT After an outcry from the public and animal rights activists, India's Supreme Court walks back a controversial plan to round the city's stray dog population into shelters
-
8 hotels with ace tennis courts
The Week Recommends Bring your A game
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play