Edwina Bartholomew: Why I censor what my kids read

An “outraged” Edwina Bartholomew has weighed in on the debate around censoring literature, amid Enid Blyton’s classics being re-edited.

Sunrise's Edwina Bartholomew admits to censoring what her children read. Source: Supplied

Is nothing sacred? First it was Roald Dahl’s books on the chopping blocks and now the sensitivity readers have Enid Blyton in their sights. If you’re not immersed in the world of children’s books like I am day and night, let me get you up to speed.

Publisher Puffin faced international condemnation recently for trying to cut the words fat and ugly from Roald Dahl’s literature. They ended up doing a backflip.

Now, Enid Blyton is facing the same revisionist history. In her famous childhood favourite, The Magic Faraway Tree series, Fanny is now Frannie and cousin Dick is now cousin Rick. Tough task master, Dame Slap, a fan of corporal punishment, has been updated to Dame Snap, a less violent, more shouty version of the same character.

This week, the phrases shut up, don’t be an ass and don’t be an idiot were also quietly removed from Enid’s 80-year-old work.

Hachette UK says it wants to “keep Enid Blyton’s books and stories at the heart of every childhood, as they have been for generations”, hence the editing.

A collection of 'Famous Five' books by children's author Enid Blyton.

I was outraged, briefly. Then I realised I have been doing this myself at bedtime without even realising. You see, my parents still have our collection of childhood books at home and there are some questionable inclusions.

I’ve been editing whole characters out of another Blyton favourite, Noddy and Big Ears, amending sexual stereotypes in Peepo and sanitising some of the slightly more graphic fairytales. Let’s be honest, Jack and Jill would have broken their necks falling down that hill.

So, is it appropriate for publishers to change historical works of fiction or should parents just use their own discretion? I’d like to have the choice.

Dahl wrote fairytales as a way for children to confront their fears. His Revolting Rhymes is a great example of that with the fat and ugly characters giving many kids a good giggle over the years. The same goes for Horrible Histories. Learning about the yucky parts of bygone eras made the boring dates and details stick in my young brain.

When it comes to race, religion and seriously offensive and outdated language, I get it. But if we are sanitising our stories just to cater to a small audience of prudes, leave George, Dick, Julian and Anne out of it and find your own Magic Faraway Tree.

Originally published as Edwina Bartholomew: Why I censor what my kids read