Matilda

By Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake

The classic story from Roald Dahl, about an exceptional young girl with extraordinary powers. Adapted into a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical and a Netflix film!

Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a menacing, kid-hating headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

Here is Roald Dahl's original novel of a little girl with extraordinary powers. This much-loved story has recently been made into a wonderful new musical, adapted by Dennis Kelly with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Release date: Aug 16, 2007
• ISBN: 9781101654316

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) es un autor justamente famoso por su extraordinario ingenio, su destreza narrativa, su dominio del humor negro y su inagotable capacidad de sorpresa, que llevó a Hitchcock a adaptar para la televisión muchos de sus relatos. En Anagrama se han publicado la novela "Mi tío Oswald" y los libros de cuentos "El gran cambiazo" (Gran Premio del Humor Negro), "Historias extraordinarias", "Relatos de lo inesperado" y "Dos fábulas". En otra faceta, Roald Dahl goza de una extraordinaria popularidad como autor de libros para niños.

Book preview

The Reader of Books

It’s a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful.

Some parents go further. They become so blinded by adoration they manage to convince themselves their child has qualities of genius.

Well, there is nothing very wrong with all this. It’s the way of the world. It is only when the parents begin telling us about the brilliance of their own revolting offspring, that we start shouting, Bring us a basin! We’re going to be sick!

School teachers suffer a good deal from having to listen to this sort of twaddle from proud parents, but they usually get their own back when the time comes to write the end-of-term reports. If I were a teacher I would cook up some real scorchers for the children of doting parents. Your son Maximilian, I would write, is a total wash-out. I hope you have a family business you can push him into when he leaves school because he sure as heck won’t get a job anywhere else. Or if I were feeling lyrical that day, I might write, It is a curious truth that grasshoppers have their hearing-organs in the sides of the abdomen. Your daughter Vanessa, judging by what she’s learnt this term, has no hearing-organs at all.

I might even delve deeper into natural history and say, "The periodical cicada spends six years as a grub underground, and no more than six days as a free creature of sunlight and air. Your son Wilfred has spent six years as a grub in this school and we are still waiting for him to emerge from the chrysalis. A particularly poisonous little girl might sting me into saying, Fiona has the same glacial beauty as an iceberg, but unlike the iceberg she has absolutely nothing below the surface." I think I might enjoy writing end-of-term reports for the stinkers in my class. But enough of that. We have to get on.

Occasionally one comes across parents who take the opposite line, who show no interest at all in their children, and these of course are far worse than the doting ones. Mr and Mrs Wormwood were two such parents. They had a son called Michael and a daughter called Matilda, and the parents looked upon Matilda in particular as nothing more than a scab. A scab is something you have to put up with until the time comes when you can pick it off and flick it away. Mr and Mrs Wormwood looked forward enormously to the time when they could pick their little daughter off and flick her away, preferably into the next county or even further than that.

It is bad enough when parents treat ordinary children as though they were scabs and bunions, but it becomes somehow a lot worse when the child in question is extraordinary, and by that I mean sensitive and brilliant. Matilda was both of these things, but above all she was brilliant. Her mind was so nimble and she was so quick to learn that her ability should have been obvious even to the most half-witted of parents. But Mr and Mrs Wormwood were both so gormless and so wrapped up in their own silly little lives that they failed to notice anything unusual about their daughter. To tell the truth, I doubt they would have noticed had she crawled into the house with a broken leg.

Matilda’s brother Michael was a perfectly normal boy, but the sister, as I said, was something to make your eyes pop. By the age of one and a half her speech was perfect and she knew as many words as most grown-ups. The parents, instead of applauding her, called her a noisy chatterbox and told her sharply that small girls should be seen and not heard.

By the time she was three, Matilda had taught herself to read by studying newspapers and magazines that lay around the house. At the age of four, she could read fast and well and she naturally began hankering after books. The only book in the whole of this enlightened household was something called Easy Cooking belonging to her mother, and when she had read this from cover to cover and had learnt all the recipes by heart, she decided she wanted something more interesting.

Daddy, she said, do you think you could buy me a book?

"A book? he said. What d’you want a flaming book for?"

To read, Daddy.

What’s wrong with the telly, for heaven’s sake? We’ve got a lovely telly with a twelve-inch screen and now you come asking for a book! You’re getting spoiled, my girl!

Nearly every weekday afternoon Matilda was left alone in the house. Her brother (five years older than her) went to school. Her father went to work and her mother went out playing bingo in a town eight miles away. Mrs Wormwood was hooked on bingo and played it five afternoons a week. On the afternoon of the day when her father had refused to buy her a book, Matilda set out all by herself to walk to the public library in the village. When she arrived, she introduced herself to the librarian, Mrs Phelps. She asked if she might sit awhile and read a book. Mrs Phelps, slightly taken aback at the arrival of such a tiny girl unaccompanied by a parent, nevertheless told her she was very welcome.

Where are the children’s books please? Matilda asked.

They’re over there on those lower shelves, Mrs Phelps told her. Would you like me to help you find a nice one with lots of pictures in it?

No, thank you, Matilda said. I’m sure I can manage.

From then on, every afternoon, as soon as her mother had left for bingo, Matilda would toddle down to the library. The walk took only ten minutes and this allowed her two glorious hours sitting quietly by herself in a cosy corner devouring one book after another. When she had read every single children’s book in the place, she started wandering round in search of something else.

Mrs Phelps, who had been watching her with fascination for the past few weeks, now got up from her desk and went over to her. Can I help you, Matilda? she asked.

I’m wondering what to read next, Matilda said. I’ve finished all the children’s books.

You mean you’ve looked at the pictures?

Yes, but I’ve read the books as well.

Mrs Phelps looked down at Matilda from her great height and Matilda looked right back up at her.

I thought some were very poor, Matilda said, "but others were lovely. I liked The Secret Garden best of all. It was full of mystery. The mystery of the room behind the closed door and the mystery of the garden behind the big wall."

Mrs Phelps was stunned. Exactly how old are you, Matilda? she asked.

Four years and three months, Matilda said.

Mrs Phelps was more stunned than ever, but she had the sense not to show it. What sort of a book would you like to read next? she asked.

Matilda said, I would like a really good one that grown-ups read. A famous one. I don’t know any names.

Mrs Phelps looked along the shelves, taking her time. She didn’t quite know what to bring out. How, she asked herself, does one choose a famous grown-up book for a four-year-old girl? Her first thought was to pick a young teenager’s romance of the kind that is written for fifteen-year-old schoolgirls, but for some reason she found herself instinctively walking past that particular shelf.

Try this, she said at last. It’s very famous and very good. If it’s too long for you, just let me know and I’ll find something shorter and a bit easier.

Great Expectations, Matilda read, by Charles Dickens. I’d love to try it.

I must be mad, Mrs Phelps told herself, but to Matilda she said, Of course you may try it.

Over the next few afternoons Mrs Phelps could hardly take her eyes from the small girl sitting for hour after hour in the big armchair at the far end of the room with the book on her lap. It was necessary to rest it on the lap because it was too heavy for her to hold up, which meant she had to sit leaning forward in order to read. And a strange sight it was, this tiny dark-haired person sitting there with her feet nowhere near touching the floor, totally absorbed in the wonderful adventures of Pip and old Miss Havisham and her cobwebbed house and by the spell of magic that Dickens the great story-teller had woven with his words. The only movement from the reader was the lifting of the hand every now and then to turn over a page, and Mrs Phelps always felt sad when the time came for her to cross the floor and say, It’s ten to five, Matilda.

During the first week of Matilda’s visits Mrs Phelps had said to her, Does your mother walk you down here every day and then take you home?

My mother goes to Aylesbury every afternoon to play bingo, Matilda had said. She doesn’t know I come here.

But that’s surely not right, Mrs Phelps said. I think you’d better ask her.

I’d rather not, Matilda said. She doesn’t encourage reading books. Nor does my father.

But what do they expect you to do every afternoon in an empty house?

Just mooch around and watch the telly.

I see.

She doesn’t really care what I do, Matilda said a little sadly.

Mrs Phelps was concerned about the child’s safety on the walk through the fairly busy village High Street and the crossing of the road, but she decided not to interfere.

Within a week, Matilda had finished Great Expectations which in that edition contained four hundred and eleven pages. I loved it, she said to Mrs Phelps. Has Mr Dickens written any others?

A great number, said the astounded Mrs Phelps. Shall I choose you another?

Over the next six months, under Mrs Phelps’s watchful and compassionate eye, Matilda read the following books:

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Gone to Earth by Mary Webb

Kim by Rudyard Kipling

The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

The Good Companions by J. B. Priestley

Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

Animal Farm by George Orwell

It was a formidable list and by now Mrs Phelps was filled with wonder and excitement, but it was probably a good thing that she did not allow herself to be completely carried away by it all. Almost anyone else witnessing the achievements of this small child would have been tempted to make a great fuss and shout the news all over the village and beyond, but not so Mrs Phelps. She was someone who minded her own business and had long since discovered it was seldom worth while to interfere with other people’s children.

Mr Hemingway says a lot of things I don’t understand, Matilda said to her. Especially about men and women. But I loved it all the same. The way he tells it I feel I am right there on the spot watching it all happen.

A fine writer will always make you feel that, Mrs Phelps said. And don’t worry about the bits you can’t understand. Sit back and allow the words to wash around you, like music.

I will, I will.

Did you know, Mrs Phelps said, that public libraries like this allow you to borrow books and take them home?

I didn’t know that, Matilda said. "Could I do it?"

Of course, Mrs Phelps said. When you have chosen the book you want, bring it to me so I can make a note of it and it’s yours for two weeks. You can take more than one if you wish.

Reviews for Matilda

[Atalanta ? · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a beautiful story.
I recommend it for any age ? (Translated from Spanish)

[Cris · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How beautiful ?, it wasn't in my plans to read this, but wow, I laughed with Matilda, I got annoyed with some characters that are almost obvious to imagine which ones I'm referring to, and I got sad for others. Matilda is a wonderful girl, both the movie and the book are really beautiful ✨ (Translated from Spanish)

[VaneLugo15 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is one of the most beautiful children's books I have ever read. I didn't know what to expect because I have seen the movie hundreds of times, but the author's prose is so lovely and easy to read. I loved it. (Translated from Spanish)

[Joss9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tell the story of a girl misunderstood by her parents who tries to learn at all costs. (Translated from Spanish)

[Bogi.gas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's an incredible book, with very deep messages. Teaching you the horrors of war. (Translated from Spanish)

[March Delgado · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book, which is supposedly written for children, has stolen my heart; Matilda and her teacher, Miss Honey, have captivated me. It is short, easy to read, fun, and full of sarcasm. Moreover, I have noted many books for future readings; if Matilda can, so can I. The plot is a cry against the abuse that, a few years ago, children regularly suffered at the hands of parents or teachers. At least in Spain, things have changed a lot for the better, but the same cannot be said for other countries. I recommend it if you are of reading age, and if not, there is surely an audiobook, you won't regret it. (Translated from Spanish)

[unalectoraannima · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the book. Although to be honest, I loved Roald Dahl's books, I read them as a child and have a great affection for them, especially this one, which was one of my favorites. (Translated from Spanish)

[Ailed Rguez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had a lot of fun, it's the first time I've encountered the author's writing and it was very good. I feel that by now everyone will know the story of Matilda and in my opinion it was very well adapted, although I must confess that the movie did scare me a bit and I think the book is much more digestible. The ending is somewhat different but I didn't dislike it completely. (Translated from Spanish)

[Melina Gonzál... · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Perfect for little kids (Translated from Spanish)

[valedf07 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was the first book I read and with it I delved into the world of reading. (Translated from Spanish)

[isipoblete · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book written by the acclaimed Roald Dahl is a blend of fleeting fantasy and the everyday life of a very intelligent five-year-old girl (who can read, multiply, add, among other things) in an exceptional way. The girl named Matilda lives with her parents and brother, but she is very misunderstood, as her ignorant parents prefer to spend the day watching television, while Matilda prefers to immerse herself in Charles Dickens' books. A very good, funny, and brief book, as it has 287 pages, it is recommended for ages 12 and up. Highly recommended. I give it four stars, undoubtedly extraordinary, and you devour it as it keeps you on edge and eager to know what will happen. (Translated from Spanish)

[NelsyLorena · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have watched the movie since I was little, and that made me hesitate to read the book. It is really a good adaptation, although I want to explain that they are enjoyed in different ways.

It's important to tell you that no matter what age you are, Matilda will always be a reflection of how wonderful it is to delve into the world of reading; in some way, it shows us a path of wisdom. (Translated from Spanish)

[Antustus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Matilda = childhood = memories.

My generation must agree with the above. Not only because of the movie but also because of this book, it was the first book I finished on my own.

At the tender age of 8, I read this book. I was enchanted, and since then I've read at least 4 books per semester (a little, but a lot for someone who studies and writes/draws/fools around all day).

This story is a good start, it inspires. The author's words are perfect, as are the illustrations. Everything is so fascinating.

I don't have much more to say, except that it's a beautiful book that deserves even more recognition in today's bookstores.

Let's love this beautiful book together, will you join me? (Translated from Spanish)

[tatiaannnh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have always loved the movie "Matilda," so reading the book was a must for me. Regarding the movie, it is very similar to the book, but I was surprised that everything happened so quickly in the book; in that sense, they developed it better in the movie. However, even though I think it lacked development, I couldn't give it less than five stars because it is a children's book, and I can't rate a children's book poorly (for me, it doesn't make sense for people who do).

And what can I say about Matilda? I loved her personality, her thirst for knowledge, her passion for reading, and her great humility.

I hope to read more from the author; the fact that he touched on sensitive topics (child and psychological abuse) and did not hide the malice of adults (unfortunately, there are adults like those portrayed in the book) pleased me because while children's books can be fun, there should also be a moral lesson and a teaching behind them. (Translated from Spanish)

[Jonnnny · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What can be said about Matilda, undoubtedly an unforgettable and sweet story that marked an entire generation, I decided to read it because sometimes I feel just like Matilda before she went to school, with paper friends, but that's another matter. The only downside I have is that I liked the movie much more ? But that doesn't take away from the fact that Matilda is very important to me and was there for me during a very difficult time in my life; I would definitely be a friend of Matilda. (Translated from Spanish)

[Sihaya ??‍♀️??‍♀️??? · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed reading it again. A wonderful story, where the protagonist faces various challenges with cunning and intelligence and the love she has for books. (Translated from Spanish)

[xeniaheliana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Matilda is a special girl who is ignored. She likes to read and is self-sufficient unlike her trivial and ignorant family. (Translated from Spanish)

[sarahconhache · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thanks to Matilda, The Neverending Story, and The Little Prince, I managed to turn my little brother into a lover of books since he was just over 6 years old.

Matilda captivates you from page one. A girl who stands out for her immense intelligence but is forced to conceal it in a world of adults who approach extreme stupidity. The injustice of the situation, the helplessness in the face of so much mediocrity that tries to stifle the girl's brilliance, makes you fall in love with the story from the very first moment.

I think it's a must-read. (Translated from Spanish)

[Ana Pau✨ · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Matilda. An unexpectedly good book.
The truth is, it moved me a lot, I liked it quite a bit.
I don't usually read classics or "non-fiction," but Matilda is a book that could be classified as a classic, with just the right amount of fiction that a fantasy lover needs in their early "non-fiction."
I definitely recommend it, and yes, I firmly believe that everyone should read it; it would be an entertaining school reading with a lot of lessons. (Translated from Spanish)

[Liaherc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The most beautiful experience that I will cherish in my heart. A joint reading with my little giant of 5 years. An entertaining, crazy, and fun book. I loved the illustrations as much as my daughter did, and the characters are simply immortal. I answered an average of 50 questions per chapter, and with my bold reader's "stop and go," we read it in less than a month, which for a restless and healthy girl was a real achievement.
Constant questions:
- And if we read upside down? Or you read while I’m upside down?
- What does Tronchatoro mean? Why would someone name their daughter that?
- Why doesn’t Tronchatoro smile?
- Is Matilda a witch or what is she? Because she's 5 years old like me, and why does her name start with MA like mama?
- Why does Tronchatoro say little worm? (Translated from Spanish)

[CarolMade · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A few years ago, I reread Matilda, now from the perspective of an adult. I can't say anything bad about this work. It's a true marvel for children, yes, but also for adults. It's a delight. Those well-developed characters, the parents, the teacher, and Matilda herself. It's a gem. (Translated from Spanish)

[Nicols · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A girl whose parents neglect her will display amazing abilities both intellectually and the power to move objects. She will face irresponsible parents and a monstrous school principal. (Translated from Spanish)

[fwhatbook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A book for children and not so children. (Translated from Spanish)

[Read · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was the shortest book I read this month (I hadn't planned to read it yet) I love the movie and I also liked the book, very light and it can be read by children and not-so-children, highly recommended. (Translated from Spanish)

[Chie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion, Matilda is a book that inspires us to seek out our passion and what makes us feel happy. This book not only inspires you to better yourself, but also to expect the best from the worst situation. The author, from my perspective, makes a small social critique about how society sees itself and others. The ending could have been better, but in my opinion, I loved it. (Translated from Spanish)

[valessire · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This has been truly beautiful!

I was very moved, I cried a lot with Miss Honey's story. Matilda was a little troublemaker, ready to punish any adult who deserved it, for her own health haha, a strong and determined girl. She is an example for any girl. I think I enjoyed the movie more because it explores Matilda's powers more, but the book was really pleasant for me. (Translated from Spanish)

[RociM · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful story and highly recommended for the little ones who are starting to read books with few illustrations. (Translated from Spanish)

[CloSolMar · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My mother paid me 100 pesetas to read it when I was 8 or 9 years old. Since then, I haven't stopped reading. Now we share books. (Translated from Spanish)

[Dsantos21 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An exciting story of a very interesting girl, Matilda, is undoubtedly a great work by Ronald Dahl, a classic of classics that is categorized among the books that everyone in the world should read. Even though I read it at 26 years old, it transported me back to my childhood; I was so fascinated by the book that I couldn't put it down. Without a doubt, applause for Ronald Dahl. (Translated from Spanish)

[loslibrosdeyaz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really wish I could have read the book when I was a child because I could have related to her while reading books. You might think that having seen the movie is enough, but that is not true. The book helps you understand Matilda's mind better and shows how Trunchbull and Mr. Wormwood were truly bad and couldn’t see that she is a prodigy. Roald Dahl has good writing if you start reading in English because it is very simple in terms of vocabulary and these are children’s books. I hope to soon read another book by this author in its original language. (Translated from Spanish)