Censored: Lindsey Gardiner and the offending scenes
Posted on 11/18/2007 1:58:49 PM PST by Stoat
A leading children's author was told to drop a fire-breathing dragon shown in a new book - because the publishers feared they could be sued under health and safety regulations.
It is just one of the politically correct cuts Lindsey Gardiner says she has been told to make in case youngsters act out the stories.
As well as the scene showing her dragon toasting marshmallows with his breath, illustrations of an electric cooker with one element glowing red and of a boy on a ladder have had to go.
Ms Gardiner, 36, who has written and illustrated 15 internationally successful children's books, featuring her popular characters Lola, Poppy and Max, says such editing decisions are now common.
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Censored: Lindsey Gardiner and the offending scenes
In Who Wants A Dragon? - published by Orchard Books last year - Ms Gardiner says: "I was told, 'You can't have the dragon breathing fire because it goes against health and safety.'
"It doesn't really make any sense.
"Sales and marketing departments are worried something might offend somebody, or that a child might copy something in a book and their parents will sue the publisher."
Pointing out that classic fairy tales such as Hansel And Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood would not get published today, Ms Gardiner said: 'It's a sad reflection of modern society."
In When Poppy And Max Grow Up, published by Orchard Books in 2001, Max was originally shown on a ladder "They didn't allow that because they thought it was precarious," said Ms Gardiner.
"Then I had to change the element on a cooker from glowing red to green.
"It is crazy. When I go to book signings, I sometimes take with me some colouring pictures, and the kids draw the elements as red because the cooker is on and it's hot. They are not stupid.
"I've had books published in Japan, France, Spain and Holland and they don't ask for the same changes.
"It seems to be in Britain and the U.S. that there are problems."
Nobody from Orchard Books was available for comment but a spokesman for the Publishers Association said: "We are aware of some concerns by authors and it is something we can talk about in the industry."
Perhaps it’s time for Regnery to start a children’s division. Then we can have books like “Poppy and Max Field Learn to Shoot” and “Poppy and Max Climb a Tree.”
Other than white Anglo-Saxon males, of course.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Let’s see, I am a white, southern male Protestant, six feet and four inches and 270 pounds, descended from the Norman conquerors of England and with confederate veterans as great grandfathers on both sides of the family. I was born and raised within ten miles of the first secession meeting ever held, I volunteered for the Navy and went straight from high school into service. I voted for George W. Bush twice and I can’t stand the sight of anybody named Clinton. Hell, I am even heterosexual, I am surprised that I haven’t been hunted down and shot already. Most people in Hollywood would be horrified to know that a monster like me exists.
I thought dragons were already banned for smoking.
Dragons breathe fire. It’s the truth. Well, they don’t exist. They are just imaginary. PC is an euphemism for Communism and Nazism. The world would be a lot better off without PC.
What do they want the dragon to do, spit out jawbreakers or gumballs?
I wish it had to do with schools......
This is ridiculous but I don’t see how it would fit in with the ping list.
Comments from anyone else on the list about whether I should ping it or not? Some people object if you don’t stick to the only stated purpose of the list.
LOL!
The editors really should get rid of that scary dragon, too!
When will this idiocy end?
I have no doubt that they would be delighted if it were to spew Leftist, condescending sermons on "diversity" (The excoriation of white men, Christians, Western traditionalists and anyone who has beliefs that are at all to the right of Marx while deifying homosexuals, Leftists and anyone whose skin is "other" than white)..
Such a dragon would instantly appear on T-shirts worldwide and would be a featured inflatable character in parades, as well as having his own children's TV show.
When Socialism either dies of it's own accord or is beaten into the ground.
We’ve taken everything ‘dangerous’ out.
Now all that is left is little blobs that bob their heads and make tiny squeeling noises (Teletubbies).
I’m wondering...I’d like to teach my dragon to breathe fire and roast his own marshmallows. Would this book show me how?
It's your call, metmom. I do remember people dropping off the list whenever I would ping heavily. However, I think you send out just the right number of pings. I myself prefer someone else alerting me to an article, rather than searching for stories on the forum. I'm on several different ping lists. But others may like to keep their "New Posts to You" to a minimum.
Most people in Hollywood would be horrified to know that a monster like me exists..............................
I think you are my cousin.
It should have been dead 60 years ago.
They call you A Bad American.
Some people are just um....not using their brains..
The Terence and Phillip Show ???
Wasn’t that a LOCAL SIGN WORKERS UNION project ???
I have no idea...found it on a google image search. Key searchword: stupid
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