by Roald Dahl
Ages 8+, 240 pages
Matilda is a brilliant young girl whose parents think she is a trouble maker and wastes space. Her father is a used car salesman who takes advantage of customers and her mother spends her time playing bingo. Both parents don’t care what Matilda does just as long as she doesn’t get in the way. Her father argues with her when she correctly answers a complex math problem. Matilda explores the library and reads everything in sight. Matilda finally gets recognized when she enters school and meets Miss Honey. Miss Honey notices that Matilda has genius qualities, but it doesn’t let that get to her head. At school, she also encounters The Trunchbull who is the headmistress. The Trunchbull doesn’t enjoy children and gives harsh punishments, such as pulling their pig tails and forcing children to eat an entire cake. This is another Roald Dahl classic children’s story where the young triumph over cruel adults. The movie version is also enjoyable and very close to the book.
She had somehow trained herself by now to block her ears to the ghastly sound of the dreaded box. She kept right on reading, and for some reason this infuriated the father. Perhaps his anger was intensified because he saw her getting pleasure from something that was beyond his reach.
- Roald Dahl (page 38 -39)
It’s so hard to choose just one Roald Dahl book to recommend.
I’m surprised I didn’t read more of him growing up. I’ll keep your pick in mind. Thanks for your comment.
Our children absolutely adored The Twits. It’s one of the lesser known stories, and very gruesome in places, but they read and re-read until it fell to bits.
Those are always the best stories when you read them over and over. I noticed children reading ‘The Twits’ in class, so I may give it a shot. Gruesome huh, I can only imagine that some would like to ban another Roald book. Thanks for your comment.
The BFG is my absolute favorite Roald Dahl book, though his others are not far behind at all! I picked up one of his books at my school library when I was a kid . . . an then quickly checked out every other one I could find after I finished it!
I’ll keep The BFG in mind. I’ve only read two of his books, but I have no complaints. I can understand why you wanted to check them all out. Thanks for your comment.
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