Bookshops display uncensored versions of Enid Blyton classics on their shelves amid fury over librarians hiding original works ‘under the counter’ to prevent public from ‘stumbling upon’ outdated language
- Blyton composed more than 700 book from the late 1930s until she died in 1968
- But some originals versions have been put in ‘off-limits’ sections of libraries
- In defiance, bookshops are sharing photos showing books proudly displayed
Bookshops are displaying uncensored versions of Enid Blyton’s bestselling novels on their shelves – amid fury over librarians placing them in hidden spots to prevent the public from ‘stumbling upon’ outdated language.
Blyton composed more than 700 books, including beloved titles like The Famous Five series and Noddy, from the late 1930s until she died in 1968.
But some of the famed author’s classics have been rewritten to remove ‘outdated’ language, while it has also emerged that some uncensored versions are being placed in ‘off-limit storage spaces’ in libraries to prevent the public from ‘stumbling upon’ the old wording.
In defiance, bookshops have been sharing pictures online showing her books proudly displayed on their shelves.
It comes amid a backlash in which librarians hiding the books have been accused of showing ‘tin-eared sensitivity’.
Blyton composed more than 700 books, including beloved titles like The Famous Five series and Noddy, from the late 1930s until she died in 1968
Belfast Books said: ‘Take yourself back to your schooldays with an Enid Blyton paperback.
‘Most are the originals from a time before ‘sensitivity readers’ told us what we could and couldn’t read.’
TreasureChest Books, a shop in Felixstowe, Suffolk, added: ‘So is Enid Blyton going the same way as Roald Dahl? (Not for the first time) Original, unaltered texts £1 each in the Felixstowe shop.’
Blyton fans have followed suit, sharing photographs of books stacked on shelves at their homes.
One said: ‘Enid Blyton books are proudly displayed on my bottom shelf, you can’t rewrite or relegate history, it is written.’
A second added: ‘Wandsworth Libraries withdrew Enid Blyton before 1969, when I started reading the Famous Five, so I had to buy my own.
‘We acquired some hardbacks too which I still have.’
Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, also said: ‘Enid Blyton is the latest children’s author whose work has been ‘modernised’ by tin-eared sensitivity readers.
‘Who knew unexpurgated Noddy could be so subversive?’
It comes as recently edited works are displayed publicly across Devon’s libraries, but tales which have not yet been amended are not so easy to access.
If a reader requests an original version of titles like The Famous Five, they will be shown a verbal trigger warning, according to The Telegraph.
The original versions are catalogued online and if a reader chooses to access one, a warning system will remind them of the language used within the older editions.
The changes were revealed in Devon County Council documents.
It was explained that Library Unlimited – which runs the council’s library service – regularly audits books, replacing them with altered versions.
The documents say that where popular titles contain ‘increasingly outdated’ language, libraries purchase new, edited versions.
The off-limits area of libraries also contains books that have been removed due to staff or customer complaints – such as the autobiography of previously-incarcerated Tommy Robinson, the founder of the far-right English Defence League.
In January last year, Jacqueline Wilson gave The Magic Faraway Tree a rewrite to remove ‘sexist expectations’ of female characters, with domestic chores for the girls replaced with a lesson on gender equality.
And in February, Blyton’s Famous Five and Malory Towers books saw words such as ‘brown’ with reference to tanned faces, ‘queer’ and ‘gay’ changed to bring them up to date.
A description of ‘a brown-faced fisher-boy’ was ‘changed to a suntanned fisher-boy’, while ‘Where’s George? She wants spanking’ became ‘She wants a good talking to.’
English Heritage released updated blue plaque information in 2021 saying Blyton’s booked had been linked to ‘racism and xenophobia’.
Examples of ‘racism’ within the books include 1966’s The Little Black Doll, in which the main character ‘Sambo’ is only accepted by his owner ‘once his “ugly black face” is washed “clean” by rain’, while in Noddy, ‘golliwogs’ were changed to ‘goblins’.
English Heritage also now cites that publisher Macmillan refused to publish The Mystery That Never Was over its ‘old-fashioned xenophobia’ towards foreign characters.
Dr Byrn Harris, legal counsel for the Free Speech Union told The Telegraph: ‘We are bemused by the decision to treat the author of Noddy as dangerous and subversive samizdat.’
He claimed that libraries have a duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient service and alleged ‘holding back certain works and making them less accessible might fall short of that standard.’
Dr Harris also alleged the reasoning for the books being placed out of public sight was of ‘dubious relevance’, despite the many previous criticism of Blyton’s works.
‘If public libraries insist on having a censorship policy then users, especially children and their parents or guardians, must be clearly informed that the library’s holdings may not be comprehensive as a result of the policy,’ Dr Harris added.
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