Matilda

Magical, Witty, Savant, Creative, Scary
Matilda by Roald Dahl, Illustrated by Quentin Blake
Published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Books
Copyright 1988

Matilda by Roald Dahl is a story about a four year old girl named Matilda Wormwood, who happens to be a math prodigy. Unlike her evil parents and bratty brother, Matilda loves to read and to go to school. Upon entering school for the first time, Matilda meets Miss Trunchbull, the mean headmistress of Crunchem Hall Primary School. Miss Trunchbull frightens the students as well as the other teachers. Miss Honey is Matilda's teacher. She is quite the opposite of Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey is sweet, loving, and kind to all of her students. One day Miss Trunchbull comes to Miss Honey's classroom for "The Weekly Test" and accuses Matilda of putting the Newt in her water jug. Matilda tries to defend herself and in the heat of the argument, she tips over the glass of water on the desk just by looking at it and concentrating on it. After discovering that she has magical powers, Matilda uses her strength for good. She frees Miss Honey from Miss Trunchbull and both Miss Honey and Matilda get a second chance at happiness.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read
Grade Level (Lexile): 840L, Ages 8-12

Key Vocabulary: wash-out, nimble, half-witted, gormless, enlightened, formidable, pocket-money, honourable, arrogant, brogues, eccentric

Teaching Suggestions:

• Before Reading: Introduce the students to Matilda by giving them a set of questions to just think about. Questions include: Do you know anyone who is mean to others or who you would consider a bully? How do you think parents should treat their children? How do you think teachers/principals should act toward students and other teachers? Do you think you might help someone who is being bullied? How might you help them?
• During Reading: Discuss with students the topic of bullying. What makes someone a bully? Do you consider Miss Trunchbull a bully? Why? Would you consider either or both of Matilda's parents bullies? Why? 
• After Reading: Ask students to think about the way Matilda helped Miss Honey. If Matilda didn't have the power to lift the chalk and write on the board, how else might she have helped Miss Honey? How might you help someone who you thought was being bullied? Students will write their responses in paragraph form.

Writing Activity: Introduce the word "connotation" as an antonym of denotaion, the dictionary definition of something. Explain that it is an idea or an association suggested by a word. Give an example like: the connotation of home is: a place of warmth or comfort. Ask students to think of the connotations of the last names of the main characters (i.e. Wormwood, Trunchbull, Honey). Students will write a response detailing their thoughts about the connotations of these names. Also, students will include in their response how their connotations relate to the character's actual personalities. Do the connotations and personalities match? Why/How?

Electronic Resources:

•   Quiz: This website includes a quiz about the novel. These questions are geared more toward the explicit information. This quiz can be used for students who might have trouble with reading comprehension with regards to remembers what actually happened in the novel and who participated.
• Trivia & Lesson PlansThis site provides links to a film summary as well as the novel summary. It also has Matilda on a podcast so students can listen to the novel. The site also provides lesson plan suggestions, reading comprehension worksheets, a quiz about the novel, and two interactive trivia quizzes. This site would be most helpful for students who need additionl help with reading comprehension.

Dahl, R., & Blake, Q. (1988). Matilda. New York: Viking Kestrel.