matilda the book review

Matilda, by Roald Dahl | Book Review

Book Review of Matilda The Children’s Book Review

Written by Roald Dahl

Illustrated by Sarah Walsh

Ages 6-9 | 192 Pages

Publisher: ‎ Viking Books for Young Readers | ISBN-13: ‎ 9781984836106

Matilda  was the last long kids’ book that Roald Dahl wrote before he passed away in 1990. When Dahl first wrote the book, she was a wicked child and very different from how she is now known to readers worldwide.

Matilda is a very kind-hearted character—she’s a gifted, intelligent, book-loving five-year-old who taught herself to read. She has read every children’s book in the library and a few for adults. Matilda can even do advanced math in her head. Her father (a rotten car salesman) and her mother (obsessed with playing bingo) are completely clueless and treat her almost as terribly as the nasty Miss Trunchbull, the child-hating, ex-Olympic hammer-throwing headmistress at school.

When Matilda meets Miss Honey, a warm-hearted and sweet teacher, she finds her inner strength and uses her newly-discovered exceptional talent to fight back and set more than a few things right in her world. Matilda’s character is certainly one to get behind—she’s empowering, knowledgeable, and brave—and the entire story is freckled with funny bits and peppered with plenty of practical jokes.

This edition contains complete and unabridged text and includes brand-new color illustrations by Sarah Walsh. The artwork brings loads of energy and charisma to the carefully curated cast that Dahl created.

When you read Roald Dahl’s  Matilda,  you’ll be snickering from start to end.

Buy the Book

About the author.

Roald Dahl  (1916-1990) was born in Wales to Norwegian parents. He spent his childhood in England and, at age eighteen, went to work for the Shell Oil Company in Africa. When World War II broke out, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. At the age of twenty-six, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he began to write. His first short story, which recounted his adventures in the war, was bought by The Saturday Evening Post, and so began a long and illustrious career.

After establishing himself as a writer for adults, Roald Dahl began writing children’s stories in 1960 while living in England with his family. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated.

Roald Dahl is now considered one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. Although he passed away in 1990, his popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.

Learn more about Roald Dahl on the official Roald Dahl website:  www.roalddahl.com .

About the Illustrator

Sarah Walsh is an internationally published illustrator whose project range spans from picture books, apparel, home decor, and greeting cards, to name a few. Her work has also been featured on Creative Pep Talk, Buzzfeed, and The Jealous Curator. Sarah has been a working artist since 2001, starting as a designer/illustrator hybrid at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. In 2013 she branched off solo style into the freelance world after connecting with an art agent named Lilla Rogers. Bright color, fashion, mid-century design, the ’80s, fantasy, hand lettering, world culture, and folk art are some of the elements that inform her work. Sarah’s been fortunate enough to collaborate with clients like Chronicle, Blue Q, Nosy Crow, The Guardian, & Frankie Magazine.

Writing and illustrating a children’s book or working with a fashion designer to create an haute couture clothing line are two of her dream projects! When Sarah isn’t busy doing client work, she fills her sketchbook with personal paintings or creates products such as art prints, enamel pins & pillows for Tigersheep Friends, with her husband Colin Walsh, a fellow illustrator.

You can find her work at Sarahwalshmakesthings.com .

Matilda , written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Sarah Walsh, was reviewed by Bianca Schulze. Discover more books like  Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice by following our reviews and articles tagged with Classics , Illustrated Chapter Books , and Roald Dahl .

What to Read Next:

• Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White | Book Review
• Mermaid School: The Clamshell Show | Book Review
• Book Buddies: Ivy Lost and Found | Book Review
• Beezus and Ramona, by Beverly Cleary | Book Review

• X (Twitter)

Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

I think this is a good report and would encourage me to read it because it tells me exactly what personality and characteristics each character has and made me want to find more events and information about them in the book .📚 📖 📕

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 19 Reviews
• Kids Say 77 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Matt Berman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

Kid genius gets revenge on mean adults in fun fantasy.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Roald Dahl's Matilda is about a brilliant, magical little girl who's miserable at home with her nasty, clueless parents and oppressed at school by her mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. However, Matilda finds a loving, kindred spirit in her teacher, Miss Honey, who values her pupil…

Why Age 8+?

Miss Trunchbull throws children out of windows, picks them up and swings them ar

There's a lot of name-calling directed from adults to kids, or between adults, i

Any Positive Content?

Intelligence can matter more than brutal power, even when power is wielded by a

Miss Trunchbull abuses Miss Honey and her students, and Matilda's relationship w

Children will learn some quick facts (titles, author names, and some plot summar

Violence & Scariness

Miss Trunchbull throws children out of windows, picks them up and swings them around by their hair or ears, and locks a child in a tiny room with spikes protruding from the walls. She also has pushed a young girl's head underwater as punishment. Though no one is really injured in this fantastical novel, some sensitive youngsters may be upset by the Trunchbull's cruelty.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

There's a lot of name-calling directed from adults to kids, or between adults, including "stupid," "glob of glue," "ignorant little twit," "gangster," "useless bunch of midgets," and more.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Intelligence can matter more than brutal power, even when power is wielded by a large adult over a small child.

Positive Role Models

Miss Trunchbull abuses Miss Honey and her students, and Matilda's relationship with her parents is one of mutual dislike. However, Miss Honey is a wonderfully warm and encouraging teacher. She's also very brave in her way, and she has the adult perspective to express how adult cruelty affects children. Matilda is a special young hero, avenging adult crimes with her marvelous brainpower. Of course, this is all in the context of Roald Dahl's fantastical imagination, so the physical abuse is cartoonish, and little children can't really do magic, yet there is much to admire in the genius of Matilda Wormwood.

Educational Value

Children will learn some quick facts (titles, author names, and some plot summaries) of great books that Matilda reads, including Burnett's The Secret Garden and Dickens' Great Expectations . They'll also learn what times tables are, and how to spell a few words, such as "what" and "difficulty."

Parents need to know that Roald Dahl 's Matilda is about a brilliant, magical little girl who's miserable at home with her nasty, clueless parents and oppressed at school by her mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. However, Matilda finds a loving, kindred spirit in her teacher, Miss Honey, who values her pupil's amazing brain power. Miss Trunchbull inflicts mental cruelty and physical abuse on the students, including name-calling, tossing children out of windows, locking them in a closet lined with spiky nails, and spinning them around by their hair or ears. These exaggerated acts of malice are part of the fantasy, though, along with Matilda's magical mental tricks. This novel was made into a dark yet delightful 1996 movie , and it's available as an audiobook read beautifully by actress Kate Winslet .

Where to Read

Parent and kid reviews.

• Parents say (19)
• Kids say (77)

Based on 19 parent reviews

Kids are smarter than reviewers are giving them credit for...

Let's read matilda little girl has powers, what's the story.

MATILDA is the story of a little girl genius. By age 4, the title character 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 ways to punish them for their atrocious behavior, such as putting superglue into her father's hat brim, and swapping his hair tonic for peroxide. Things change when Matilda 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." At the same time, Matilda is taken under the wing of her perfectly sweet teacher, Miss Honey, who needs the little girl as much as the student needs her. Getting back at the Trunchbull will be much more difficult, and dangerous, than punishing her parents, so Matilda's magnificent mind starts developing even more unbelievable talents!

Is It Any Good?

This classic book has been delighting kids and their parents since 1988, appealing both to readers' imaginations and to their sense of justice. The good in Matilda are all good, and the wicked get their comeuppance at the hands of giddy, delighted children. Precocious readers, like Matilda, will recognize in this novel's villainous characters some of the same qualities that define the bad children in what is probably author Roald Dahl's most famous work, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . Mean characters exhibit gluttony and greed, watch too much television, and cheat to get what they want. Good characters are lovable, smart, and triumphant. Matilda is a wonderful romp -- a great read-aloud for young children, and a mild challenge for middle graders to read themselves. Either way, it's tons of fun and immensely satisfying.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the idea of revenge in Matilda . Is it right for Matilda to play tricks on her parents and Miss Trunchbull?

Do you think any real person can do magical tricks like Matilda does?

If you had Matilda's powers to move things with your mind, how would you use them?

Book Details

• Author : Roald Dahl
• Illustrator : Quentin Blake
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Penguin Group
• Publication date : May 8, 2005
• Number of pages : 240
• Award : Kids' Choice Award
• Last updated : July 8, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to read next.

James and the Giant Peach

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Fantasy books for kids, classic books for kids, related topics.

• Magic and Fantasy
• Great Girl Role Models

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

By Roald Dahl

'Matilda' by Roald Dahl tells the tale of a clever young girl tackling bullies in her life with wit, courage, and miracles.

About the Book

Article written by Neesha Thunga K

B.A. in English Literature, and M.A. in English Language and Literature.

‘Matilda’ is the last long children’s book written by Roald Dahl in his lifetime. The book revolves around a precocious young girl named Matilda and the battles she faces against the bullies in her life.

The book was published to near-universal acclaim in 1988 and won the Children’s Book Award soon after. The magical story has captured audiences across the world and has remained a source of delight to readers till today.

Key Facts about Matilda

• Title: ‘Matilda’
• Published: October 1, 1998
• Genre: Children’s Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Humor
• Point-of-View: First-person peripheral narrator
• Setting: A small Buckinghamshire village in England
• Climax: Matilda frightens Miss Trunchbull with her magic powers.
• Antagonist: Miss Trunchbull

Roald Dahl and Matilda

Roald Dahl would tell his children bedtime stories every night. Though he admits that most of them were pretty bad, several of them ended up as acclaimed children’s books . Published in 1988, ‘ Matilda ‘ is Roald Dahl’s long children’s book.

It took almost 2 years for Dahl to complete the novel. Though the writing is simple and to the point, ‘ Matilda was a work of labor.’ Dahl famously rewrote the entire novel because he was unhappy with the first version.

Lucy Dahl, Roald Dahl’s daughter, received a letter from her father in December 1986 about ‘ Matilda .’ In it, Dahl writes,

The reason I haven’t written you for a long time is that I have been giving every moment to getting a new children’s book finished. And now at last I have finished it, and I know jolly well that I am going to have to spend the next three months rewriting the second half. The first half is great, about a small girl who can move things with her eyes and about a terrible headmistress who lifts small children up by their hair and hangs them out of upstairs windows by one ear. But I’ve got now to think of a really decent second half. The present one will all be scrapped. Three months work gone out the window, but that’s the way it is.

In the first version, Matilda was the villain of the story. She was a wicked girl who used her powers for her sadistic pleasure and helped her teacher financially by fixing a horse race. She also died at the end of the novel at the hands of Miss Trunchbull. This version of events was ultimately overturned in the rewriting , and Matilda was made the hero of the story.

After rewriting the story of ‘ Matilda ,’ Dahl admitted that he was finally happy with the book. In an interview with Todd McCormack, he commented, “Now I’m fairly happy with it. I think it’s ok, but it certainly wasn’t before.”

The plot of the novel begins with Matilda Wormwood, a young girl of remarkable maturity, who finds herself neglected by her parents, Mr. and Mrs Wormwood. The little girl learns how to read grown-up books on her own and begins to play tricks on her parents, involving a parrot and her father’s hair dye. Within her school environment, Matilda encounters an exceptional teacher named Miss Honey, who not only identifies her potential but also endeavors to have her placed in an advanced class. Yet, Miss Honey’s efforts are hindered by the imposing figure of her aunt, Miss Trunchbull.

In due course, Matilda becomes aware of her extraordinary ability—telekinesis, the power to move objects with her mind. Simultaneously, she uncovers a profound secret held by Miss Honey, involving Miss Honey’s father (Magnus) and her aunt. Fueled by this newfound knowledge and her unique powers, Matilda embarks on a mission to take action. Much like Dahl’s other children’s stories, Matilda finds a happy ending in Miss Honey’s cottage, and the story teaches children the vital lesson of standing up to bullies.

The idea for ‘ Matilda ‘ was rooted in a deep fear that Roald Dahl nursed in the late 1980s. The fear was about books going out of existence. This was around the same time that televisions were becoming extremely popular, and nearly every house in the United Kingdom had a television set. Thus, Dahl wrote a book about a genius child who loved reading.

‘ Matilda ‘ was written from a small and cozy hut in Roald Dahl’s garden. He called his hut his “nest” and wrote while sitting on his mother’s armchair, with a specially made desktop spread across his lap. Yellow legal notepaper was his go-to writing tool.

Books Related to Matilda

Roald Dahl has a repertoire of children’s literature under his belt, all of which are similar to ‘ Matilda ‘ in various ways. Some of these include ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine,’ ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ ‘Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator,’ ‘Revolting Rhymes,’ ‘The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More,’ ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox,’ ‘The Witches,’ ‘James and the Giant Peach,’ ‘Danny, Champion of the World,’ and ‘The BFG’. 

Some of these novels have connections to ‘ Matilda .’ For instance, the enormous cake that Ms. Trunchbull forces Bruce Bogtrotter (an overweight child in the novel) to eat as punishment for stealing a piece of cake from the kitchen is featured in Roald Dahl’s ‘ Revolting Recipes .’ It is also believed that Bruce Bogtrotter is a more sympathetic version of Augustus Gloop, the glutton from ‘ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .’

There are also parallels between the short story ‘ The Magic Finger ‘ by Roald Dahl (published in 1964) and ‘ Matilda .’ The protagonist of the short story is a young girl who has magic powers in her finger. The powers get activated when she gets too emotional or feels strongly about a cause. The premise of the short story has led people to believe that it might be a precursor to ‘ Matilda .’

Readers who wish to explore books by other authors similar to ‘ Matilda ‘ can read ‘ Demon Dentist’ by David Walliams, ‘The Worst Witch’ by Jill Murphy, ‘Gangsta Granny’ by David Walliams, ‘ Pippi Longstocking’ by Astrid Lindgren and Tony Ross, ‘ Rose’ by Holly Web, ‘ Charlotte’s Web’ by EB White, ‘Green Eggs and Ham ‘ by Dr. Seuss and ‘Ballet Shoes’ by Noel Streatfeild.

The Lasting Impact of Matilda

‘Matilda’ has been frequently hailed as one of the best children’s books of all time . It is especially renowned for how Matilda stands up to her bullies and fights for the right things and people in her life. As such, the novel has resonated with both children and adults around the world.

In 1996, a film adaptation of the novel was released. Directed by Danny DeVito and starring Mara Wilson, the film received critical acclaim. However, it turned out to be a box office bomb.

A musical version of ‘ Matilda ‘ was produced in the Redgrave Theatre in Farnham in 1990. Adapted by Rony Robinson and with music produced by Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, the musical version toured the UK. A second musical version opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 2013. The stage version of the novel is massively successful with audiences and has won multiple awards in the United Kingdom and the United States.

In 2012, a set of six stamps were issued by Royal Mail featuring the original illustrations by Quentin Blake in ‘ Matilda.’ The protagonist of the story was featured on the 76p stamp.

An audiobook of the novel has been released, with actress Kate Winslet providing the narration. In 2018, Netflix announced that it would adapt ‘ Matilda ‘ as an animated series along with other books by Roald Dahl.

In October 2018, the original illustrator of ‘ Matilda ‘, Quentin Blake, celebrated 30 years of the publication of the book by imagining what Matilda would be as a grown-up. He drew illustrations of her in various professions, including astrophysics and exploration.

Matilda Review ⭐️

Matilda historical context 📖, matilda quotes 💬, matilda characters 📖, matilda themes and analysis 📖, matilda summary 📖, about neesha thunga k.

Neesha, born to a family of avid readers, has devoted several years to teaching English and writing for various organizations, making an impact on the literary community.

Discover the secrets to learning and enjoying literature.

Join Book Analysis