Roald Dahl’s work should just be allowed to fade away and be replaced by more modern children’s writers, the author Philip Pullman has said, amid the controversy over the decision by Dahl’s publisher to rewrite parts of his books to remove language deemed inappropriate.
Puffin has been criticised after hiring sensitivity readers to go over Dahl’s text to make sure the books “can continue to be enjoyed by all today”. Some have said derogatory references to people’s physical appearances, as well as other characteristics, in Dahl’s work are not suitable for young readers. But, rather than fan the flames, Pullman encouraged children simply to read “better” authors.
“Let him go out of print,” the author of His Dark Materials said on Monday. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that people should instead explore writers such as Malorie Blackman, Michael Morpurgo and Beverley Naidoo. “Read all of these wonderful authors who are writing today, who don’t get as much of a look-in because of the massive commercial gravity of people like Roald Dahl.”
He said Dahl’s work, if left alone, would neither disappear overnight, nor be substantially changed in the public’s consciousness, because of the vast numbers of existing editions sitting on shelves in homes, school libraries and elsewhere. “What are you going to do about them? All these words are still there, are you going to round up all the books and cross them out with a big black pen?”
Asked about the controversy over the rewrites, he said: “Dahl can look after himself. I hadn’t read his books for very many years and I don’t want to again.” He added: “The point is: these words, these phrases and language uses do change over time. For a young author now coming in, who hasn’t got the clout and the commercial power of someone like Roald Dahl, it’s quite hard to resist the nudging towards saying this or not saying that, which is a pity, I think.”
Hundreds of changes have been made to Dahl’s original texts. For example, in The Twits, Mrs Twit is no longer “ugly and beastly” but just “beastly”. References to people being fat are also among the edits, which were made in conjunction with Inclusive Minds, a “collective for people who are passionate about inclusion and accessibility in children’s literature”. And the Roald Dahl Story Company has said “it’s not unusual to review the language” during a new print run and any changes were “small and carefully considered”.