Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda
by Roald Dahl
Puffin, 1988
240 pages
Children's Fantasy

Summary in a Sentence:

Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security.

 My Thoughts:

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

Confession: This is probably my sixth or seventh reading of Matilda, but it's my first reread as an adult, and I still love it as much as I did as a child. Oh, Matilda, how I love thee!

I had forgotten how much Quentin Blake's illustrations make the book. Although Dahl's descriptions of the formidable Ms. Trunchbull's administration and the Wormwoods' laudable parenting skills are hilarious, my favorite part of the book is most definitely the first few chapters. I had forgotten how sarcastic and biting Dahl can be. He didn't write down to children in his books. He didn't sugar coat or whitewash the ideas in his books.

I love Matilda's story. The daughter of dimwitted and self-centered parents, 4 year old Matilda wanders into the village library and promptly teaches herself to read, soon working through all the children's books, then moving on to Dickens and Kipling. The public library and the librarian have a front and center role in the opening chapters of the book as Matilda develops a deep love of literature.

Although Matilda's genius goes ignored by her parents, Miss Honey, her kindergarten teacher, soon recognizes Matilda's intellectual abilities and her need for a supportive force in her life. Matilda's untapped mental abilities soon manifest themselves in some interesting special powers that she first tries out on her father, then on the school's headmaster, Miss Trunchbull.

This book is quirky, funny, top notch storytelling. 

P.S. I stumbled across Dahl's awesomely wonderful website, complete with games, book descriptions, and a very dangerous-to-your-wallet store.