Good Morning America
Proposed changes to Roald Dahl books spark backlash
The celebrated children’s book author was the mastermind behind bestsellers such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “Matilda” and “The BFG.” Phrases like “Mothers and fathers” in Dahl’s “Matilda,” first published in 1988, could be replaced with “parents” while some descriptions of “fat” characters could be edited or removed entirely. “It’s not unusual to review the language used alongside updating other details,” a spokesman for The Roald Dahl Story Company, which was purchased by Netflix in 2020, told ABC News, adding, “Our guiding principle throughout has been to maintain the storylines, characters, and the irreverence and sharp-edged spirit of the original text.”