After all, the idea of throwing a child out the window by the pigtails is so ridiculous and removed from reality, it definitely becomes funny rather than disturbing. Dahl makes her actions so extreme that rather than being frightened of her, we find her humorous. I often used the extract where Dahl introduces Miss Trunchbull when I was teaching students about descriptive writing, as it is a masterclass in characterisation. On the other hand, the villains of the story are truly spectacular, most notably of course the incomparable Miss Trunchbull. It is essentially the narrative of two lonely outsiders who find each other, and reminds us that for all the grotesque characters and events, it is a story about love. Watching her take on the adults in her life and win is hilarious, but the way in which she discovers a new maternal figure in Miss Honey, is also deeply moving. It is hard as an adult to try and break down and explain the magical experiences of childhood.īut here it goes… first and foremost, I love the intelligence and wit of Matilda, combined with her child’s need for love and affection. I remember reading Matilda again and again almost obsessively, never tiring of the characters and the story. It is always difficult to pin down exactly what it is about a book that you love, when the book is so deeply ingrained in your childhood. After all, if ever there was a champion for any child who loves to read, it is Roald Dahl’s Matilda.
The book I have decided to start off the blog with is a classic, but when I look back to my childhood it is the definitive book that stands out time and time again. News Books That Make a Childhood No.1 Matilda by Roald Dahl
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