Matilda (novel)

Before I had a bright yellow cover or pages filled with drawings, I was a little idea fluttering in someone's imagination. I was a story about a very special, super-smart little girl who loved books more than anything. I held secrets about magic, mean grown-ups, and the kindest teacher in the world. I couldn't wait for a child to pick me up and discover my world. I am the storybook, Matilda.

A wonderful man named Roald Dahl dreamed me up. He sat in a cozy chair with a pencil and a big yellow notepad and wrote down all of my adventures. He gave me a hero, little Matilda, who could move things with her mind. Another kind man named Quentin Blake drew funny, wiggly pictures to help tell my story. On October 1st, 1988, I was finally ready, and my pages were opened for the very first time.

Children read my words and learned that even when you feel small, your big brain and kind heart are your greatest superpowers. I show them that books are like magic doors to amazing places. Today, children still snuggle up to read my story, and I love whispering to them that the best magic is the love of learning, and that is a magic they can keep inside them forever.