Discussion: The New Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Cover

So this week Penguin announced that Charlie And The Chocolate Factory would be joining it's Modern Classics List, a book collection aimed towards adults. They also choose to give it a cover more fitting of the adult generation.

Which, was this.


I admit, when I first saw it my reaction was 'What the hell is that?!' Because the cover is so different from all the cute covers that I remember seeing. The reaction on Twitter has varied from 'The New Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Cover Sure Is...Something' (@phatsunny) to 'Why not just get Rolf Harris to design the next one?' (Author Joanna Harris).

It is a very strange cover. And many people say that it is sexualised, something I personally do not see. The girl certainly looks doll like and appears to have make-up on but if a little make-up is enough to make her sexualised in this society, I think people are being a little too PC.

In fact, the cover is very clever because the way we see these children as a child is very different to the way we see them as an adult, and I think the cover reflects that. Also, Roald Dahl was known for his darker humour, so he may have even liked this cover. The more I look at it, the more I like it.

I'm very confused about this.

Comments

  1. Unknown2:29 am BST

    I agree with your point about it not being sexualized... and that this cover is confusing! No Charlie, no chocolate, and just who is that girl meant to be anyway? Perhaps I'm too literal to appreciate it's cleverness, but I really dislike it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jillyn4:52 am BST

    I don't think it's sexualized, but I also won't be buying it. It has absolutely nothing to do with the story. I get their point of the dark parent-child relationships, but it's not Every Disturbed Child's Factory. It's Charlie's.

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  3. Unknown1:40 pm BST

    I'm not a fan just because there is no way I'd ever buy a book with a cover like that because goodness I'm creeped out with her staring at me. I couldn't live in a house with that *shudders* I've not read the book only seen the films so I don't know how it really fits the actual book but it doesn't fit my idea of the movies.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5:56 pm BST

    I really don't know what to think about it either. I am little creeped out about the way she stares into the distance (oh, I see that Kristen agree haha). I am not sure if Roald Dahl should be packaged like this for adults.

    ReplyDelete

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