Sandra Boynton, WHAT are you doing?

[Fairy]

When DS was born in 2004, I started stocking up on Sandra Boynton books, both on my own and as gifts. Well, I had a 4-pack of her classic squares, including "But Not the Hippopotomus" leftover from a gift I never gave. When DS was born, I cracked it open and began reading them to DS. The very first page of that book used to go "A hog and a frog do a dance in a bog."

K, cut to two years later, the book has been loved and, frankly, drooled on into disintegration. However, I wanted DS to have this book evermore, so I re-bought it brand spanking new, and guess what? That ain't the first line anymore. Now it reads, "A hog and a frog <something I don't recall, but I think it's 'frolic'> in a bog.

WTF?

Is there a reason she did this? I'm just irked about it.

[JoyNChrist]

Ooh, that is gonna be annoying...cuz you know how kids seem to memorize every word of every book they love.

Seems like the editors or publishers should have realized that wasn't a good idea.

[AngelaS]

The original book says that they cavort in a bog. Then they changed it to 'do a dance in a bog'. I have a cavort version and was annoyed too when they changed it! :P

[elliput]

I have the "cavort" version. That is annoying that the words have been changed which ever direction.

[Fairy]

Cavort! Ok, that's it, cavort. So, I always had the "do a dance in," and that book is the 39th printing, date is 1995. Now, as it happens, the new book I can't find, it's somewhere in the heap, here, but it's gotta be alot newer. It was brand new off the shelf when I bought it. Not sure which phrase was first, but I don't understand why it would be changed (either way!). If it was originally cavort, then ... what's wrong with that? "do a dance in" is just as good, so why would that one be changed? I just don't understand the reasoning and why she would allow her words to be changed.

It reminds me of "Babies," by Gya Fujikawa. When I bought DS hhis copy of it, I was SO excited cuz it was my favorite book as a child. Well, I cracked it open and couldn't figure out what was a little off. I just kind of forgot about it, then I read a review on Amazon from an angry reader who said at least four pages had been cut out. Cut to a few months ago, I actually FOUND my original copy -- I mean drooled on, masking taped together original. I was like in tears, it was so amazing. And there were the four pages that were originally there that are no longer in print.

WHY?!

Me no get it.

[bubbaray]

I have the 1995 board book version, it says cavort. Can't remember if I bought this one in Canada or the US, though. Its published by Little Simon.

[elliput]

The cavort version I have is also from 1995. It says "Newly Revised Edition, 1995".

[MarisaSF]

Sounds like another example of dumbing things down for our kids. Boooooo!

[ellies mom]

That is just plain silly. "Cavorting" is much more fun to say than "Dancing".

[Ceepa]

Oooh. I hate that. And don't get me started on how Richard Scarry books have been altered over the years.

[Fairy]

Oooh. I hate that. And don't get me started on how Richard Scarry books have been altered over the years.

Sorry to get you started, but ... how have they changed? I remember those as favorites, as well, and DS has three huge ones from him that came from my friend next door. There are international references, but nothing seems untoward to me. So, tell me, what's been changed in his books?

-- Hil

[Ceepa]

Hey Hil,

My brother and I were Scarry fanatics as kids so I'm probably oversensitive to changing his books. :P

For example, my BFF and I noticed the differences to What Do People Do All Day when her DS received the newer, abridged version of it. Some entire chapters were removed like Mother's Work is Never Done (Ma Pig takes care of the house and kids while Pa Pig goes off to work) and the story of how we convert coal to energy. BFF bought an old version from eBay and I happened to still have my Scarry collection from when I was a little girl.

I understand updating books so children aren't exposed to egregious sexism or outdated thinking, but some of it is so harmless yet it has been changed, in what I guess is the pursuit of political correctness or else the lovely use of language has been "dumbed down", IMO.

Check out some reviews on Amazon or else here's what I found on a quick Google search: (keep in mind some of these commenters are over the top!)

OK, here's the Flikr set for Best Word Book Ever:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kokogiak/sets/1425737/

[Aunt to sweet baby boy]

This makes me so frustrated!! Why can't they just keep the words the same? If I ever find a book that I loved as a child has changed I will probably be bawling!!

[stillplayswithbarbies]

maybe someone decided that "cavorting" has a sexual connotation?

[elliput]

maybe someone decided that "cavorting" has a sexual connotation?

Oh, now we can't have that! It might lead to ::gasp:: dancing!

[Ceepa]

Oh, now we can't have that! It might lead to ::gasp:: dancing!

How very "Footloose" of you!