Works of Iconic Children’s Author Spark Controversy

Controversy Surrounds Classic Children’s Author:

Ever since Puffin Books U.K. and the Roald Dahl Story Company hired the consulting company to change some of the text in Dahl’s classic children’s books, it has dominated space in the industry trades. Certain phrases like “small men” in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have now been changed to “small people,” and “fat” in James and the Giant Peach and “ugly” in The Twits are also being changed. The Guardian also reported that an unaltered 16-book ‘classics collection’ will be released alongside controversially amended versions. However, Publisher’s Weekly reports there are no plans for Roald Dahl’s work to see any text changes in the U.S. or in Europe.

The Most Banned Picture Books:

PEN America has released a list of the most banned picture books in American schools, with three titles featuring LGBTQ+ themes tied for first place. These books are Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders; I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings; and And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell.

Florida District Bans LGBTQ+ Books:

Pensacola News Journal reported that a school district in Florida has banned three LGBTQ+-themed books from classrooms and libraries: All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson; And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell; and When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff.

Crichton Novels to Be Republished:

Deadline has reported that Blackstone Publishing will republish eight early Michael Crichton adventure novels, which the late author originally wrote under the pen name John Lange. The books are: Odds On, Scratch One, Easy Go, Zero Cool, The Venom Business, Drug of Choice, Grave Descend and Binary, and are slated for publication from June through December 2023.

Eluding Most Powerful Forces of Government:

Contestants have two hours to hide from a revolutionary new spyware, and only one clever librarian stands a chance of winning in Anthony McCarten’s action-packed technothriller, Going Zero.

“The Snakehead” Heading to TV:

A24 has won the rights to adapt Patrick Radden Keefe’s The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream for a television series, according to Deadline. The book, published in 2009 by Doubleday, tells the true story of Cheng Chui Ping, who led a smuggling operation that brought undocumented immigrants from China to the U.S. in the late 20th century.

Eight Voices of the Civil War:

The Civil War tore apart more than just the nation—it tore apart families and communities. Here are 8 riveting historical fiction books from a diverse range of voices to better understand the complexities, clashing perspectives and silenced voices.

Finalists for Literary Awards:

PEN America revealed the finalists for its annual literary awards. For the full list of finalists, visit the Pen America website. The Los Angeles Times also unveiled the finalists for its book prizes this week. A complete list of the finalists is available at the L.A. Times’ website.

Fans of Netflix’s “The Gray Man” Rejoice!:

Mark Greaney’s The Gray Man series’ popular protagonist Court Gentry returns this February in the twelfth Gray Man novel: Burner!

“All Quiet on the Western Front” Wins BAFTA Awards:

The German film adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s classic anti-war novel took home 7 trophies at the BAFTA Film Awards! The film won the award for best film and best film not in the English language as well as for best director, best adapted screenplay, best original score, best cinematography, and best sound.

“The Last Days of Jack Sparks” TV Series:

Jason Arnopp’s The Last Days of Jack Sparks is headed to the small screen, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Rob Savage (Host, Dashcam) will direct the series, Gaby Hull (Cheat, Two Weeks To Live) will be writing the adaptation, and Vertigo Films are producing the show.

A Therapist’s Guide to Tackling Addiction and Compulsions:

Readers who yearn for a helpful, informative, and inspiring guidebook that they can truly learn to better themselves with will find unequivocal assistance in We are All Addicts by Carder Stout, PHD.

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