to think Roald Dahl's 'Revolting Rhymes' should be banned?

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I know Dahl is a national treasure and children love a bit of gore and all that - but DH and I were shocked at some of the language used in some of the stories (it is not easy to shock DH!)

There is a line in the Cinderella story where the prince says of Cinderella, 'who is this dirty slut'. Had to pause on that part when reading to DS!

The language in the story shows how deeply engrained misogynistic attitudes are, and continue to be carried through in our children's literature.

How can this be allowed?!!!

For the benefit of those not familiar with Roald Dahl's "The Swan": a ruffian lad chav is given a gun for his birthday. He and his partner in crime happen upon a middle-class boy they know at school, and they abduct him, bully him to within an inch of his life (literally), tie him between railway lines (and a train actually does go over him). He does escape from them in the end, after several moments when he thinks he is about to die.

Of course, it was written long before a terrible and well-known case with alarming parallels.

I read "The Swan" when I was 8, I thought nothing of it at the time!

Fanny is a very popular name in France at the moment

Children's book help them deal with difficult conceptS - like death, nasty people etc. The best ones spark ideas and feelings without them realising

My ds has been reading a lot of History - you can't get worse than the Romans!

My just turned 4 year old adores the Gashlycrumb Tinies, Art.

It absolutely slays me to hear him chanting 'N is for Neville who died of ennui'

To add to the general gaiety I'll add that those fuzz-and-dust balls you get under beds/furniture used to be referred to as 'slut's wool'.

I can't believe anyone is advicating banning a book based on their misunderstanding of a word's usage.

We've read Revolting Rhymes to DS(5). The first time I read the Cinderella story I said 'slut' before I twigged what it said. DS didn't bat an eyelid and has never mentioned it so I'm not dwelling on it.
If he asks in future I'll explain properly.

We also have the 'old' version of The Magic Faraway Tree. Again, he couldn't have cared less even though DH and I kept giggling at the names.

I just don't agree words like that should be allowed in children's literature.

Define "children's literature" in this context. I began reading Shakespeare at school at age 12. Presumably since I was a child he should have been heavily censored?

Surely it's about reading them at the appropriate age.

They're not fluffy children's books, they have an edge. I think sometimes they are introduced too young.

If the theme feels wrong, then leave it's ok.

Some of Roald Dahl's books are not aimed at children. Just because he's a children's author, it doesn't mean all his work has to be aimed at the same.

Max and Moritz and Struwwelpeter are both still commonly marketed as preschool stories/ collections in Germany ... The Max and Moritz story CD is one of the most widely available audio books, everywhere from the library to children's book shops to special promotions at discount supermarkets...

If your child hasn't taken over their own reading choices (and even if they have to some extent, esp at age 6) its up to their parent to be a bit educated about the content of the books. Really if you are reading the book to the child you can edit if you want, as others have said.

Of course book banning is ridiculous and very wrong - but so is handing your 9 year old Game of Thrones just because they are an "advanced reader" and had heard of it and asked for it... Don't ban, do actually know what they are reading/ listening to/ having read to them and exercise parental control while they are still young enough to need and to tolerate/ accept it!

I do think people push stuff that is too old at kids for no reason, there is no hurry and so much suitable for every age... One thing to feel it is wrong to censor if they are choosing freely and are old enough to know what they are choosing, but no need to hand them things that are likely to be disturbing or to enshrine unsavoury attitudes and leave them to get on with it without talking about the issues etc. nor to read them to them if you feel they are unsuitable!

Have not RTFT and am so sleepy but must comment regardless of how far this may have moved along.

YABVVVU

Banning books ffs

Read it to your DC (or anyone else) and if you have any issues with content, ever, anywhere...talk about it with them.
Educate them both with literacy and your own morals/beliefs/views

Op you should take a good hard look at yourself. What kind of person bans books? And why do you think his version of cinderella should be banned for misogyny (actually your misunderstanding of the meaning of 'slut' at the time the story was written) but not the original fairy tale it was based on which is sexist as hell. I only read his versions of fairy tales to my kids on the grounds that the originals were horrifically sexist

Oh fgs
No of course it shouldn't be banned

For goodness sake, the Prince is supposed to be mysogynistic, he gets his come uppance. It is a very moral tale, it needs no editing. Pretending everyone is fair and nice makes no story at all and teaches nothing.

Better ban Arthur Ransome for keep saying Titty.

The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers.
She whips a pistol from her knickers.

Oh come on. He's a genius.

I love her wolfskin coat and pigskin travelling case

'Ah piglet! You must never trust
Young ladies from the upper crust'

Arf

Who the hell are you to re-introduce censorship! If you don't like the content don't read or buy it.

No, it shouldn't be 'banned', nor should children's literature be 'edited'. It is my job as a parent to monitor what my young children read and that includes reading (or a least researching online) a book myself before I give it to them.

There were books that I allowed DS1 to read as a child that I did not allow DS2 to read at the same age.

I use this term as my mum used to call me slut bucket as my bedroom was a disgrace!

Also you can't ban something because you don't like it. Every piece of writing evokes a feeling and discussion point.

I think you should do everything you can to look after your special snowflake OP.

Gollywog is a racist term, slut is a word that used in correct context, there's no other context to gollywog other than what white slave owners called their human possecions.

I find it slightly hilarious that your complaining about a well known authors correct use of the word slut on a site that allows Cunt. I just don't like the word but I don't report everyone for using it. I filter it out.

RD was my favourite author as a kid, my foster mum and I would go to 'Dillions' (which is now waterstones) every launch day just to get a copy of his latest book. When I was 6/7 I was reading/having read BFG and the term bloody is mentioned I giggled because I had older siblings who used the word as a swear word, my mu. Explained it meant literally well bloody.

I had revolting rhymes on tape, I never knew what slut meant in any context, I never heard it other than in that story. Also isn't the point of revolting rhymes to show how disturbing fairy tales are.

If your offended by slut, don't read your child well pretty much any original fairy tale.

Do you let your six year old watch lion king? Do you for instance explain that scar murdered his brother? Which for your Shakespeare is for older audiences. Lion king is is based on hamlet.

Going back to RD I'd quite like to ban Charlie and the fucking chocolate factory and even more the great fucking glass elevator, just because their horrible shit. Oh wait no I just choose not to read them, watch the films or anything else.

There is nothing wrong with editing while you read aloud - esp if it's just missing out or slightly changing a sexist / racist line or a very scary part you know your specific child will have nightmares over, in a book you want to read the rest of aloud.

That is often done in new editions of children's books anyway - "who are you to edit?" is daft, it's not ok if Editor is your job title but sacrilege if you are reading to your own child...

Might be interesting to explain the meaning of the word slurddepending on the age of the child - I think the message implicit in all the posts saying they read R R but never knew what slut meant is a bit of a mixed one tbh - shows the value of continuing to read to kids who can read to themselves in order to talk more aboutthe content maybe?

*the word slut not slur...

Gollywog is not just a doll, it's a racist word and should not be used.

I hate that women get called 'sluts' and 'slags' but men don't get called anything as bad (only man-whore and womaniser come to mind).

Words take on new meanings over time but we shouldn't ban books.

Talking of words changing. .I read an old biography of Queen Mary which contained the brilliant line 'a number of suffragettes smashed windows with hammers they had hidden in their muffs'