num_pages: 232
description: Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world. For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Mrs. ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.She warms up with some practical jokes aimed at her hapless parents, but the true test comes when she rallies in defense of her teacher, the sweet Miss Honey, against the diabolical Trunchbull. There is never any doubt that Matilda will carry the day. Even so, this wonderful story is far from predictable--the big surprise comes when Matilda discovers a new, mysterious facet of her mental dexterity. Roald Dahl, while keeping the plot moving imaginatively, also has an unerring ear for emotional truth. The reader cares about Matilda because in addition to all her other gifts, she has real feelings.
language: English
title: Matilda
titlecomplete: Matilda
characters: Matilda Wormwood, Miss Trunchbull, Miss Honey
genres: Classics, Fantasy, Childrens, Humor, Young Adult, Middle Grade, School, Audiobook, Fiction, Magic
ratings_count: 897233
places: United Kingdom
awards: awardedAt: 1388563200000
name: Odyssey Award, awardedAt: 599644800000
name: Prijs van de Nederlandse Kinderjury
category: 10-12 jaar en 13-16 jaar, awardedAt: 1388563200000
name: Audie Award
category: Children's Titles Ages 8-12, awardedAt: 631180800000
name: Books I Loved Best Yearly (BILBY) Awards
category: Read Aloud (1990), Younger Readers (1997), awardedAt: 599644800000
name: West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA)
category: Younger Readers, awardedAt: 946713600000
name: Blue Peter Book Award
category: Voter's Award - Book that Made Me Laugh the Loudest, awardedAt: 599644800000
name: Red House Children's Book Award, awardedAt: 694252800000
name: Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
category: Book Award, awardedAt: 694252800000
name: Massachusetts Children's Book Award, awardedAt: 694252800000
name: Nevada Young Readers' Award
category: Intermediate Category , awardedAt: 662716800000
name: Beehive Book Award
category: Children's Fiction, awardedAt: 662716800000
name: Indian Paintbrush Book Award, awardedAt: 1451635200000
name: Bluestem Book Award, awardedAt: 631180800000
name: Virginia Reader's Choice
category: Elementary, awardedAt: 662716800000
name: Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award
publisher: Puffin Books