Publisher Penguin Random House announced Friday it will publish B次元官网网址渃lassicB次元官网网址� unexpurgated versions of Roald DahlB次元官网网址檚 childrenB次元官网网址檚 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 DahlB次元官网网址檚 books would be published in their original form later this year as B次元官网网址淭he Roald Dahl Classic CollectionB次元官网网址� so B次元官网网址渞eaders will be free to choose which version of DahlB次元官网网址檚 stories they prefer.B次元官网网址�

The move comes after criticism of changes made to B次元官网网址淐harlie and the Chocolate FactoryB次元官网网址� and other much-loved classics for recent editions published under the companyB次元官网网址檚 Puffin childrenB次元官网网址檚 label, in which passages relating to weight, mental health, gender and race were altered.

Augustus Gloop, CharlieB次元官网网址檚 gluttonous antagonist in B次元官网网址淐harlie and the Chocolate FactoryB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� originally published in 1964 B次元官网网址� became B次元官网网址渆normousB次元官网网址� rather than B次元官网网址渆normously fat.B次元官网网址� In B次元官网网址淲itches,B次元官网网址� a supernatural female posing as an ordinary woman may be a B次元官网网址渢op scientist or running a businessB次元官网网址� instead of a B次元官网网址渃ashier in a supermarket or typing letters for a businessman.B次元官网网址�

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 B次元官网网址淒ahlB次元官网网址檚 wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today.B次元官网网址�

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 writersB次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渞emain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination.B次元官网网址�

DahlB次元官网网址檚 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 B次元官网网址淢atilda the MusicalB次元官网网址� and two B次元官网网址淲illy WonkaB次元官网网址� films based on B次元官网网址淐harlie and the Chocolate Factory,B次元官网网址� 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, DahlB次元官网网址檚 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 ChildrenB次元官网网址檚, said the publisher had B次元官网网址渓istened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald DahlB次元官网网址檚 books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淩oald DahlB次元官网网址檚 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,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲e also recognize the importance of keeping DahlB次元官网网址檚 classic texts in print,B次元官网网址� Dow said. B次元官网网址淏y making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald DahlB次元官网网址檚 magical, marvelous stories.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擩ill Lawless, The Associated Press