For those worried about the censoring of books like Roald Dahl, there is some relief that the beloved children’s series, Goosebumps, will not be touched.
Rumors began to spread that the publisher behind the Goosebumps books would be taking a page from other publishing houses and censoring the language to not offend or upset readers. The biggest example of these updates can be seen in books such as Roald Dahl’s The Witches.
R.L. Stine, the author of the Goosebumps series, took to his Twitter account to squash those rumors. Stine said in response to fans worrying about potential changes, “This story is false. I have never changed a word in a Goosebumps book.” He also made an additional tweet saying, “the stories aren’t true. I’ve never changed a word in Goosebumps. Any changes were never shown to me.”
Scholastic said in a statement given to Deadline,
“For more than 30 years, the Goosebumps series has brought millions of kids to reading through humor with just the right amount of scary. Scholastic takes its responsibility seriously to continue bringing this classic adolescent brand to each new generation. When re-issuing titles several years ago, Scholastic reviewed the text to keep the language current and avoid imagery that could negatively impact a young person’s view of themselves today, with a particular focus on mental health.”
Scholastic, Deadline
The books have had minor updates throughout the years such as in the book Don’t Go to Sleep! changing a line about Anna Karenina being ‘girl’s stuff’ and other small edits. These are changes that make sense and still keep the story intact. It’s nice to see this resolved and that the books we all know and love will stay as they are.
With regards to the Roald Dahl situation, Penguin announced in response to the backlash that they will be releasing the original versions under the “The Roald Dahl Classic Collection” banner.
What’s your favorite Goosebumps book? For more R.L. Stine content, click here. For more coverage on book censorship, click here.