Matilda: Revisiting an Old Friend

Over the weekend I was chatting with two friends over an evening cup of tea when I spotted a copy of Roald Dahl’s classic story Matilda atop a pile of other children’s materials. When I was a kid this was one of my favorite books. Scratch that, Matilda is still one of my favorite books.

Picking up the copy I found myself completely engrossed, tuned out the conversation, and was suddenly 70 pages into the story. It’s a quick read, and it was all so familiar, even though I haven’t read it for years.

Excusing myself, I headed back to my own place, where I looked around a little and found my own beloved copy, which I tend to take with me even when I make a temporary move away from home in New England, in this case to graduate school in Atlantic Canada.

My plan for the evening had been to prepare for Monday’s class, and possibly even to work on my ongoing job hunt, but I found that once I started in again with my old friend Matilda, I couldn’t put her down. An hour later I had a satisfied smile on my face. Dahl’s story is as good as ever. Quentin Blake’s many charming illustrations make Matilda an even faster read.

Do you have a classic childhood favorite that you return to every so often?