Roald Dahl classic editions will be released, following censorship concerns

Leah Asmelash, CNN

UK publisher Puffin officially announced the release of Roald Dahl’s classic texts, following a week of pushback against revisions to his original language in recent editions.

Last week, a report revealed that current editions of Dahl’s books — which include classics like “Matilda,” “The BFG,” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” — published by Puffin had been revised and edited by an organization called Inclusive Minds. Language relating to gender, race, weight, mental health and violence had all been cut or revised, including the removal of words like “fat” and “ugly,” and descriptions using the colors black and white.

“Words matter,” reads a note included on the copyright page of revised editions. “The wonderful words of Roald Dahl can transport you to different worlds and introduce you to the most marvelous characters. This book was written many years ago and so we regularly review the language to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by all today.”

The move received backlash from many in the literary community, including award-winning author Salman Rushdie, with some calling the move censorship. Rushdie noted that Dahl — whose family has apologized for antisemitic comments the author had made in the past — “was no angel,” while calling the changes to his text “absurd.”

On Friday, Puffin announced it would release the author’s classic texts in print, alongside the revised Puffin Roald Dahl books for young readers, which the publisher said are “designed for children who may be navigating written content independently for the first time.”

“We recognise the importance of keeping Dahl’s classic texts in print,” said Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children’s in the UK, in a statement. “By making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl’s magical, marvellous stories.”

The new collection of original unrevised texts will be published under the Penguin label and named “The Roald Dahl Classic Collection,” according to Puffin. It will include 17 titles by Dahl and will be available later this year.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

CNN’s Lianne Kolirin contributed to this report.