Selome Hailu As one of the most widely banned authors in American history, Judy Blume has some opinions on censorship. In an interview for the cover of Variety‘s Power of Women issue, the legendary author of “Are You There God?
It’s Me, Margaret” spoke about her own experiences being censored and the recent Roald Dahl controversy, wherein Puffin Books came under fire for publishing “updated” editions of Dahl’s books including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “James and the Giant Peach.” “What do I think about rewriting the Roald Dahl books?” Blume scoffed. “I think if Roald Dahl was around, you would be hearing what he thinks about that.
Whatever he is, whatever he’s accused of being, there’s a lot of truth there. But the books are the books. Kids still love the books, and they love them the way he wrote them.
So I don’t believe in that.” In the new versions of the Dahl books, references to characters’ physical appearances and racial and gender identities have been significantly rewritten.
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