Oh, was there ever a better story for a book lover who doesn’t quite fit in? I knew from my childhood what a wonderful book this was to read alone, but this is another one where reading it aloud unlocks a whole new level of enjoyment. (That it has so many pranks and tricks did not hurt at all in keeping the boys attention.) That it has now been adapted into a musical is a fun bonus (although none of us loved the movie and we never have seen the non-musical live action movie).
Caveat: Like all Dahl books, this would not be the best book for a particularly sensitive or anxious child. Things are truly terrible for Matilda at home and at school for most of the book. But they do get much better!
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Quentin Blake