Funny there are other faraway tree threads on here, I guess they are very popular. I have been reading my old copies from childhood to DD who is nearly 4 and she loves them. I was missing one from the set and so I bought a more recent addition. Can't believe they have changed it! Well I can kind of understand changing the name Fanny to Frannie because of the connotations but it wasn't really necessary. And why bother changing Bessie to Beth! DD keeps telling me to use their real names as she's used to the originals. And I liked the old fashioned language of the old ones, for example saying something was queer, rather than odd. That was just how they spoke in those days, there were no implications and for me it was part of the charm. Boone changes the language in Shakespeare or Jane Austin or adult authors from different eras, so why change children's books. I was able to explain to DD that the language was different because that was how children spoke years ago. Children understand these things and I think it should be part of their learning. Also why change Dame Slap to Dame Snap and have her shouting rather than slapping the children? It wasn't condoning corporal punishment, it was just a story! Also the drawings in the new addition are rubbish compared to the beautiful detailed illustrations in the original - I am off to find an old copy on Amazon to replace this PC rubbish with an original where the writing hasn't been tampered with!