‘Goosebumps’ author denies reports of editing books

Mar 08, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer/Editor)

R.L. Stine, the author of the popular “Goosebumps” series, is setting the record straight after reports he edited his original works to be more politically correct. The Sunday Times reported that Stine and Scholastic made over 100 edits to his classic children’s horror fiction series, but Stine is emphatically denying that claim.

“The stories aren’t true. I’ve never changed a word in Goosebumps. Any changes were never shown to me,” tweeted the author.

Last month, Penguin Random House chose to revise works by author Roald Dahl, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Matilda.” But after an outcry from fellow authors and the public, the publisher decided it would also publish a classic collection with no edits.

Changes to both authors’ works included removing what some call insensitive language by editing out references to weight, mental health or ethnicity.

While Roald Dahl agreed to the edits, Stine says if any changes are found in new prints of the “Goosebumps” collection, they were made by his publisher and without his permission.

Tags: Books, Penguin Random House, Roald Dahl

KARAH RUCKER: THE AUTHOR OF THE POPULAR GOOSEBUMPS SERIES IS SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT AFTER REPORTS HE EDITED HIS ORIGINAL WORKS TO BE MORE POLITICALLY CORRECT.

THE SUNDAY TIMES REPORTED R.L. STINE AND SCHOLASTIC BOOKS MADE OVER ONE HUNDRED EDITS TO HIS CLASSIC CHILDREN’S HORROR FICTION SERIES.

BUT STINE IS EMPHATICALLY DENYING THAT CLAIM. THE AUTHOR TWEETED: “THE STORIES AREN’T TRUE. I’VE NEVER CHANGED A WORD IN GOOSEBUMPS. ANY CHANGES WERE NEVER SHOWN TO ME.”

JUST LAST MONTH, PENGUIN BOOKS CHOSE TO REVISE WORKS BY AUTHOR ROALD DAHL, INCLUDING ‘CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY’ AND ‘MATILDA’. BUT AFTER AN OUTCRY FROM FELLOW AUTHORS AND THE PUBLIC –THE PUBLISHER DECIDED IT WOULD ALSO PUBLISH A CLASSIC COLLECTION WITH NO EDITS.

CHANGES TO BOTH AUTHORS’ WORKS INCLUDED REMOVING WHAT SOME CALL “INSENSITIVE LANGUAGE” — EDITING OUT REFERENCES TO WEIGHT, MENTAL HEALTH, OR ETHNICITY.

WHILE ROALD DAHL AGREED TO THE EDITS – R.L. STINE SAYS ANY CHANGES YOU MAY FIND IN NEW PRINTS OF THE GOOSEBUMPS COLLECTION WERE MADE BY HIS PUBLISHER WITHOUT PERMISSION.