Here are the Roald Dahl rewrites no one asked for

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The BFG,” and “Matilda,” are just a few of Roald Dahl’s most famous works for kids. His books are the kind you might read to your kids at bedtime or even pass down from your own childhood. They’re the stuff of childhood memories.

CBS news reports that Roald Dahl rewrites are currently underway. Some of the beloved children’s book author’s stories are undergoing changes amidst lots of criticism from writers and readers alike.

The Roald Dahl Story Company and the publisher, Puffin Books, approved the changes. Inclusive Minds, a sensitivity readers group that focuses on children’s books, were the ones who brought the proposed changes to light.

In an exclusive with the Telegraph, Puffin Books is reported to have said that they went through with the Roald Dahl book changes so that his stories “can continue to be enjoyed by all today.”

Some of the rewrites show that they have taken out words such as, “fat,” “ugly” and “crazy.” All as part of the initiative to make the classic works body-positive friendly and sensitive in matters of mental health. But, that’s not all. They’ve also taken the liberty of changing gendered phrases so if there was “boys and girls” previously, it would now be something like, “people” or “children,” according to the Telegraph.

Writers have taken to social media to publicly outcry against this move. Author Salman Rushdie wrote, “Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.”

Suzanne Nossel, who is the CEO of PEN America, a nonprofit organization that “stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression,” also commented.

Nossel’s tweet is part of a long thread where she added, “selective editing to make works of literature conform to particular sensibilities could represent a dangerous new weapon.” There’s so much literature, she continued, that could be “construed as offensive to someone.” 

“If we start down the path of trying to correct for perceived slights instead of allowing readers to receive and react to books as written, we risk distorting the work of great authors and clouding the essential lens that literature offers on society,” Nossel wrote.

Scrubbing history is not a magical cure-all. When it comes to classic works of literature, sure, they’re problematic in a variety of ways, but those moments provide opportunities for teachable lessons and critical discussions with readers of all ages. Editing for the sake of cultural accuracy is a disservice to readers, authors and the role that stories play in our lives.

The Dahl family had previously issued an apology in 2020 regarding other offensive language in his works. The statement, which used to appear on the Roald Dahl Story Company website, said,

“Those prejudiced remarks are incomprehensible to us and stand in marked contrast to the man we knew and to the values at the heart of Roald Dahl’s stories, which have positively impacted young people for generations. We hope that, just as he did at his best, at his absolute worst, Roald Dahl can help remind us of the lasting impact of words.”

The Roald Dahl Story Company was acquired in 2021 by Netflix.

Dahl’s library of written works totals over 40 pieces, including 20 children’s books. His books have sold millions of copies and adaptations of his stories have amassed millions of dollars in the box office.