The book publisher Puffin has rewritten parts of Roald Dahl’s books, changing or removing words that might offend people and adding new sections that were not written by Dahl. This resources pack includes an article from The Week Junior magazine, along with a sheet of activities designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means to them.
Oracy
Roald Dahl’s books have delighted children for generations. Isn’t it rather disrespectful to start rewriting parts of them – or any other book for that matter – without the author’s permission? Or is it right that we should edit old books if the vocabulary makes some people feel uncomfortable? Isn’t the most important thing that these books give pleasure to new generations of readers? What do you think?
Writing skills
Think of a new character who could fit into one of your favourite Roald Dahl stories, such as a sixth winner of one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets or a third nasty aunt for James (of the giant peach). Write a paragraph or two introducing that character, using your best descriptive and figurative language to convey just how horrid they are
Or
Imagine you are Roald Dahl. How do you feel about your books being edited to be more acceptable to a modern audience? Write a letter to your publisher expressing your opinion, positive or negative, and giving your reasons.
Investigate
Research Roald Dahl’s life and write a brief biography of him.
Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download in our Topical Tuesdays collection.
What is The Week Junior?
The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.
To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to The Week Junior website.