Citation: Dahl, R. (1989). Matilda (Q. Blake, Illus.). Puffin Books.
Matilda Wormwood realizes at a young age she is different from her family. While her family appreciates television more than their daughter, Matilda finds refuge in books, reading anything she can get her hands on from a young age. When she gets to go to school, she meets a greater villain than even her crooked car salesman father – Ms. Trunchbull. Trunchbull terrorizes the students, even locking them in the chokey as punishment. However, school also means Matilda meets Miss Honey, who all the children absolutely adore. When Matilda realizes her mind is not only powerful enough to crunch numbers, and read books, but also to move objects, she decides to use her powers to help Miss Honey, who as it turns out is the Trunchbull’s niece!
Readers must suspend their belief when reading Matilda – but that is part of the fun! Matilda is strong, smart, and funny. Is it realistic that she could just get to go live happily ever after with her teacher, Miss Honey? No. However, lots of kids daydream of such a thing when they are angry with their parents. The only issue I had on my re-read of Matilda is I wish Miss Honey was not so sweet, no pun intended. Perhaps Matilda is strong enough of a female lead character that the docile Miss Honey can be overlooked, and maybe I underrate sweetness.
It is important to note that Roald Dahl has been found to have held some problematic views that are not touched upon in this annotation, and the praise is a reflection of the book, not of the author.