Goosebumps author R.L. Stine says he wasn’t shown inclusive edits made by publisher
Julia Johnson
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Children’s horror author R.L. Stine claims he was not informed of inclusive changes made to his books in their rereleases.
More than 12 of the famous books have reportedly been sanitized by publisher Scholastic in rereleases distributed in 2018.
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According to Scholastic, “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,” read the statement obtained by Deadline.
However, Stine has recently claimed on Twitter that he was not made aware of the changes to his writing.
“This story is false. I have never changed a word in a Goosebumps book,” he responded to one user.
https://twitter.com/RL_Stine/status/1632839200125886464?s=20
“Lindsey, the stories aren’t true. I’ve never changed a word in Goosebumps,” he told another. “Any changes were never shown to me.”
https://twitter.com/RL_Stine/status/1632817346803904513?s=20
Some of the changes in question relate to words such as “plump,” “slaves,” and “crazy” and phrases to describe others, including “at least six chins,” “bowling ball,” and “squirrel cheeks.”
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According to a report, the books now feature more than 100 similar edits.
Recently, publisher Puffin U.K. received backlash for its plan to sanitize classic children’s books by Roald Dahl. In response, the company published two versions, one with the original prose and another with the new inclusive language.