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Matilda

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Matilda is a clever and unusual little girl. But her parents aren’t interested in her, and the terrible head teacher at her school hates clever children. But Matilda finds a way to be strong, and the results are very funny.

48 pages, Paperback

First published June 19, 2008

9 people are currently reading
198 people want to read

About the author

John Escott

249 books117 followers
John Escott started by writing children's books and comic scripts, but now writes and adapts books for students of all ages. He especially enjoys writing crime and mystery thrillers, and is a member of the British Crime Writers Association.

With Oxford University Press John has published London for the Oxford Bookworms Factfile series; Agatha Christie, Woman of Mystery, Star Reporter, Girl on a Motorbike, The Fly and Other Horror Stories, and The Scarlet Letter for the Oxford Bookworms Library series; The Magician, Time for a Robbery, Star for a day, Tomorrow's Girl, and The Man with Three NAMEs for the Hotshot Puzzles series; and A Pretty Face for the Dominoes series.

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5 stars
93 (51%)
4 stars
56 (30%)
3 stars
19 (10%)
2 stars
12 (6%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Mina.
182 reviews16 followers
June 18, 2017
Da das Buch nur 36 Seiten hat, ist es wie eine kleine Zusammenfassung von Matilda. Einfach eine super leichte und schnell zu lesende Lektüre über das Mädchen, in das man sich nur verlieben kann.
Profile Image for Maria.
472 reviews
February 13, 2017
Matilda is very clever little girl . She read most of the book in her local library before she even started the school . But her parents forget to send her school but when she finally started the school . She had a teacher who don't like the Children at all .

I enjoyed this book a lot and very nicely written.
Profile Image for Stacey.
908 reviews28 followers
August 18, 2016
Cute short little story.
Profile Image for Myra Benedict.
180 reviews
November 26, 2019
Matilda a girl who is always eager to learn and read but her family is a little strange more than little where parents teach their children to read her family snatches away her books and tell her that “books are useless”. But soon she discovers she has some strong abilities but will she find a way to make her family a little more normal ? A fun story .
659 reviews
December 1, 2025
天才好小孩
這是個有趣的故事,因為Matilda是個天才兒童,所以我喜歡它。我喜歡天才。如果有我喜歡的小孩,那多半只能是天才小孩。作者塑造的Matilda,一歲半能流利的講話,三歲能看報紙,四歲就讀的又快又好。看光圖書館的兒童書之後,開始看狄更斯、海明威。五歲半入學第一天,老師測知他可以做兩位數的乘法心算,以及他的閱讀能力之後,驚的腿都軟了。
天才是文明的支柱,生物的奇蹟,人類最值得保護的財產。天才的故事令人振奮、欣喜,是我最喜歡的題材。但天才兒童就像千里馬,“馬有千里之行,無人不能自往”,他還是需要大人的慧眼、慧心去栽培。本書中,Matilda 的無良父母不關心她,雖然老師有意栽培,卻受到校長的打壓。所以,作者更賦予 Matilda不可思議的超能力,使她不僅靠自己的力量使自己獲得自由,並連帶的也使老師獲得新生。真好。
Profile Image for Ananya Mishra.
20 reviews33 followers
January 6, 2020
it's a great book and I love it too but
I think it's starting and ending are a lot much different ....according to me it's starting and ending are not so deeply connected ;they are, but not that much like suddenly it's track changed....
but I loved it and you will too ...I hope
Profile Image for Luis &#x1fa90;.
110 reviews1 follower
April 9, 2020
En historia interesante y linda, me gusta mucho la historia de Matilda, como va descubriendo sus habilidades y es capaz de utilizarlas para hacer justicia. Una historia que todo mundo conoce y que nunca desagrada volver a leer.

Estoy muy feliz por poder leer cada vez más en otro idioma!.
Profile Image for Michaela Denton.
27 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2019
Great magical break from the darker/adult themes I've been reading. Definetly a great choice for a fun read!
Profile Image for Rikko215.
65 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2021
I’ve heard of Matilda as a play , but I’ve never actually known it as a novel. The ending was a little uncommon and surprising; however the story overall is a OKAYish story.
13 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2012
-Level
Penguin readers 3

-Time
80min

-7words
Clever/girl/book/help/teacher/power/together

-Question
1) The main character has a special power that she can move things without touching them. If you had any special powers, what do you want to do?
-I want to fly the sky and look around the world like a bird. I have been having this dream since I was a little child.
2) The main character is mischievous child, and she put glue on her father’s hat because he yelled to her. Have you ever done such an interesting things?
-Yes. I was also mischievous child. I had put tomato on my mother’s chair. Of course, I was scolded by her!!

This book was really funny. I enjoyed reading it. The main character was really smart, and she read a lot of books and became clever. I want to follow her and read learn from books.
14 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2012
PENGUIN READERS, level 3
-time: 90 minutes
-7 words summary: Matilda, clever, unusual, terrible, parents, strong, happy:
1.Matilda can use supernatural power. If you had
it, what would you do? Would you use it in daily life?
-Yes! I wanna use special power! But Matilda used it to hurt or make them surprise, so I don't wanna use it to hurt people.
2.Matilda likes reading and she has read a lot of books. Did you like reading books when you are a child?
-No. I didn't like reading books but my parents would read books for me.

This story is interesting. Matilda did some bad things to her parents and teacher because they didn't like her. The most interesting thing she did is putting glue round in her father's hat. He had to have a hair cut such as a circle! It's funny!
9 reviews
December 19, 2012
-penguin readers, level3
-12/12:30min.,12/13:60min.
-clever, girl, books, parents, head teacher,Miss Honey, strong
-Matilda read books for adults in library when she was four yeas old. She was very clever. Do you like reading books?
Yes, I do. I like reading books in English and Japanese. However, I can read only short book such as GR, so it's interesting for me to read books in Japanese. I want to read long books in English.
-She was clever and unusual, but adults around her didn't notice her ability expect Miss Honey. However, she found the way to be strong. Do your parents understand you?
The answer is a little. Sometimes they don't listen my opinion.
9 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2012
-Penguin readers
-11/7 95min.
-clever girl, terrible parents, unhappy, moving things, her eye, afraid people, many books

-In this story, Matilda is clever girl. She really loves to read a book. When you are child, what is the favorite things to play?
I really like to play dodge ball.

-In this story, when Matilda got angry, she put a glue in her father's hat. Have you ever played a trick against someone?
Yes. When I fought with my sister, I hid my sister's favorite pen, and I have never returned it to her.
Profile Image for C.T. Yen.
131 reviews30 followers
November 21, 2015
Found this well looking for another book and thought I'd read it again. Ah~ My childhood.
It's Level 3 Pre-Intermediate (1200 words) so it should have taken me this long to finish it, but I took my time.

I had never actually read the book until now; I watched the movie version staring Mara Wilson as Matilda, so it was wonderful to read the book version. And reading the book gives me a clear view on how it's different from its movie adaptation.

I still would like to read the original version and I look forward to that day.
Profile Image for Fuka Hatayama.
28 reviews1 follower
October 8, 2014
1. Penguin Readers Stage3

2. 10/8 100min

3. book, stupid, gearbox, library, will, Spain, police

4. Just then, Nigel jumped up and and pointed at the blackboard. ” The chalk!” he shouted. ' Look at the ckalk!' It's moving and nobody is holding it!'
I was very surprised Matilda's power like a magic. She used it to help teacher.

5. Matilda was said stupid girl but she helped her teacher. She really like reading . I wannt to get special power. I learned how reading is important!
Profile Image for Misaki Ohata.
28 reviews4 followers
November 20, 2014
1.penguin level3
2.11/18 90min
3.clever book ghosts school eye aunt stay
4.a【Matilda is a young girl. She is very clever and she can use special power. But, her parents are not interested in her. She starts to go to school, but she faces many terrible things because of the head teacher of her school.】
b. 【I want to stay here, and live with Miss Honey.】
5. I envy Matilda's power and I want her knowledge and skills. I wanted to be a clever girl like her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Haruka Fujimoto.
10 reviews
June 24, 2015
1.Penguin reader level3
2.6/20 15min. 6/22 20min 6/23 40min. 6/24 40min
3.seven word summery
Matilda- girl-smart-magic-school-teacher-strict
4a. Matilda noticed that she can use the magic. It is that she can move anything without hand.
4b. Her teacher is very strict, so she trying to do mischief using her magic. It was so fanny.
5. It is level3 one but it is easy to read this story. I like this movie too!
Profile Image for Kayo Nakagaki.
8 reviews
December 4, 2014
1. Penguin level 3
2. 12/1 85min
3. book, clever, eyes, teacher, school, ghost, adopted child
4. a) I've finished all the children's book.
b) Matilda is so clever. So a woman works at the library was very surprised at that. I also be surprised.
5. Matilda's father and mother didn't noticed her ability. If there is a child like her, she or he become to be popular soon.
Profile Image for Monique.
167 reviews9 followers
March 4, 2009
This is a very cute story. It's not too long and it's very easy to read, but it's quite nice and sweet. I don't really know what else to say about it.
Profile Image for Vick.
87 reviews
January 21, 2025
2,5⭐️ Me entretuvo, estuvo bien. No conecte y no lo recomendaría pero no fue una tortura lee rlo.

Meh, prefiero ver la película (que por alguna razón nunca me encantó.).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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