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Matilda (by Roald Dahl)

common sense media says

Kid genius gets revenge on stupid, mean adults.


parents & educators say
  • 29% say violence is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, like much of Dahl's work, this book delights children even as it troubles adults.

Positive messages: There is no love between Matilda and her parents, upon whom she exacts revenge for their awful behavior toward her.
Positive role models: Were it not in a humorous fantasy, Miss Trunchbull's behavior would be
considered abuse, where it is not downright impossible. The
relationship between Matilda and her parents is also one of mutual
dislike, and children are shown exacting revenge on adults. Still, it's
all played for fun and laughs, and young readers certainly know not to
take it seriously.
Violence: Miss Trunchbull throws children out windows, picks them up and swings them around by their hair, and locks them in a tiny room with spikes in the walls, though no one is actually harmed by any of this.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Matilda

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about topics like fairness, revenge, adult/child power relationships, and the nature of intelligence.
  • Do you think Matilda is justified in playing tricks on her parents? On Miss Trunchbull? (And what do you think Miss Trunchbull might have been like as a little girl about Matilda's age?)
  • If you had Matilda's powers to move things with your mind, how would you use them?
  • Do you agree with the ways in which Matilda used them?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Matilda is a genius: by age four she has read all the books in the children's section of her local library, and moved on to Dickens, Austen, and Hemingway. She can also do advanced math in her head and has a sophisticated understanding of the world. Unfortunately her crooked car-dealer father and bingo-holic mother, TV addicts both, don't appreciate her at all. In fact, they "looked upon Matilda ... as nothing more than a scab." Matilda spends most of her time reading, and the rest thinking up clever revenges on them for their atrocious behavior, such as putting superglue into her father hat brim, and swapping his hair tonic for peroxide.

Things get worse when she starts school, Crunchem Hall Primary School is run by the horrific Miss Trunchbull, "a gigantic holy terror, a fierce tyrannical monster who frightened the life out of pupils and teachers alike." Getting back at the Trunchbull will be much more difficult, and dangerous, than her parents, so Matilda's magnificent mind starts developing even more talents -- unbelievable talents!

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Here at CSM we have a yellow "Pause" button, which means "know your kids." This book, like most of Roald Dahl's, should be labeled "know yourself." Some adults hate it for the same reason that kids love it -- it shows a good, smart child overcoming evil, dumb adults. It has ridiculous, cartoon violence, not meant to be taken seriously, where no one actually gets hurt. It has a black and white view of the world: the good are all good, and the wicked get their comeuppance at the hands of giddy, delighted children. If any of this bothers you, if you think children's books should always have a respectful attitude to adults in general and parents in particular, keep it out of your house, because griping about it will make you look just as nasty and clueless as Matilda's parents.

If, on the other hand, you can enjoy this type of humor, it's a harmlessly guilty snicker you can share with your kids. It's a silly romp, a good read-aloud, and a mild challenge for middle graders to read themselves. Either way, it will have them giggling and feeling immensely satisfied at the ending (which bothers some adults even more than the rest of the book). So make your choice and then live with it, because railing against this book is not going to do you any good at all.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication date: May 8, 2005
Number of pages: 240
Paperback price: $6.99
Read Aloud: 6
Read Alone: 8

This review was written by Matt Berman
 
 

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What parents & educators say

11
Based on 14 parent & educator reviews:
  • 29% say violence is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

T11ALBooks
kid, 12 years old
 
Matilda, a Brilliant book
Matilda is an excellent book by the famous author, Roald Dahl, who also wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and The Twits. Matilda is on the Premiers reading challenge and its ID is 252. Its is about a young girl called Matilda who is five and she can Multiply enormous numbers like nineteen times fourteen, read adult novels like Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and many more amazing things, she even has special magic powers. Unfortunately for Matilda her mother and father underestimate her, treating her like a scab. The children hating head mistress is even worse, she believes her parents, disbelieves Miss Honey, refuses to put Matilda in year six where she belongs and denies being a child once herself. Read this book to see how Matilda and Miss Honey get rid of the foul Miss Trunchbull. I absolutley love it, It may have some negitave points but its still enjoyable.

magicwand
kid, 12 years old
 
Approatr for everyone?
it is great for everyone to read but 6-8 year olds are going to need help reading it as it is such a long book. they would struggle to read it. it took me 19 day to read it the first time when i was 5 but my mum read it to me. 1-3 year old find it hard to read and understand.

Kattie64
kid, 12 years old
 
Inspireing
Love it! Matilda is a wonderful insperation for kids everywhere, that they can think out side the chamber of school and open up to the world and the edacation they can be in!

Jolove
kid, 11 years old
 
WOW!
I liked this story but just to much eviel well i dont know how to say it but its great story for us kids on aldults too so teens.

luissy
kid, 11 years old
 
A GOOD BOOK
Dear parents for kids over 7 matilda is a really good book however I think you should firstly read it yourself to see if it is appropriate for your childor buy the DVD first. There are some violences but they are all funny ones. So if your child reads the book please tell them to enjoy it.

MissBookReviews
kid, 12 years old
 
ages 8 - 12
i think this is a great book... i read this when i was in fourth grade and i did a book report in it and i couldn't count how many times i told my teacher to read this book... overall very well written

vikrant
kid, 13 years old
 
matilda
loveit

meinn
teen, 14 years old
 
my view
i had to read it 4 my project...i am 13

heavworld123
teen, 17 years old
 
love it so does class

saloni
teen, 15 years old
 
problems are lots of but there are also solutin of it
love it because in this story characters like miss honey & matilda inspires me lot

bookmaniac
teen, 17 years old
 
to people all around dah world
i like and so does my sister ,i'm sure you'll like it too

rose y
kid, 13 years old
 
This book is a exact combination of fun and mischievousness I totally love this book

keiran
kid, 12 years old
 
My Favourite
It's an amazing book, totally my favourite and has been since i was about 5 (mum reading it to me) but some parts are scary for younger children so I say no under 5s and not all 5-8 year olds, once you're 8+ it's not really scary and just an AMAZING book!

imasian101
kid, 11 years old
 
I love this book very much. I read it about 6 or 7 times because it is one of my favorites!

 
not for children who have trouble not repeating naughty words
Included language my children arn't allowed to use including stupid, idiot, and ass. It was fine as long as I did the reading, but I couldn't let them read with me unless I pre skimmed the chapter. :(

super movie ...
teen, 15 years old
 
cute book
cute book with some vilonce

TheBookWorm101
kid, 13 years old
 
Great Book
This is one great book! I love this book much. Roald Dahl is one of my favorite authors. If your looking for a good book, you've found one!

author13
kid, 12 years old
 
Best Book EVER!!!
I love this book! I remember reading it in third grade. I love this author! He is so awesome!You'll like this book.

Tahmina
teen, 16 years old
 
Its OK!
Its Good But Mrs Truchball is very Horrible and mean, i Think is Very young age childeren Wach It They Might Get Things Into thir head and Not want to go to school.

 
dark subjects, but compelling heros
The topic of suicide and murder is raised. I am working with a 3rd grade group and think this book is beyond them. 4th or 5th grade might be better. Child abuse at home and school is rampant, but by the 7th chapter kids seem to understand very easily this is a work of fiction and the over-the-top punishments would not happen to them.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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