Welcome to my perfumed garden

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Still, I really wish they wouldn't have changed them at all - talk about a perfect opportunity to get kids to learn about different countries and cultures.

Exactly. I lived in Bermuda for four years as a schoolgirl (late 11 to early 16; Dad was Air Force), and read lots of Enid Blyton and Gerrold Durrell. It was an eye-opening view of new worlds, and I consider it a priceless addition to my education.

What gets me is -- Americans complain about our educational system and that our kids aren't learning enough... and then they allow learning opportunities like books with different idioms (~gasp!~ the horror!) to be dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. But, somehow, they just don't get the connection.
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