Матильда
The Reader of Books
Totellthetruth,Idoubttheywouldhavenoticedhadshecrawledintothehousewithabrokenleg.
Matilda’sbrotherMichaelwasaperfectlynormalboy,butthesister,asIsaid,wassomethingtomakeyoureyespop. Bytheageofoneandahalfherspeechwasperfectandsheknewasmanywordsasmostgrown-ups. Theparents,insteadofapplaudingher,calledheranoisychatterboxandtoldhersharplythatsmallgirlsshouldbeseenandnotheard.
Bythetimeshewasthree,Matildahadtaughtherselftoreadbystudyingnewspapersandmagazinesthatlayaroundthehouse. Attheageoffour,shecouldreadfastandwellandshenaturallybeganhankeringafterbooks. TheonlybookinthewholeofthisenlightenedhouseholdwassomethingcalledEasyCookingbelongingtohermother, andwhenshehadreadthisfromcovertocoverandhadlearntalltherecipesbyheart,shedecidedshewantedsomethingmoreinteresting.
"Daddy,"shesaid,"doyouthinkyoucouldbuymeabook?"
"Abook?"hesaid. "Whatd’youwantaflamingbookfor?"
"Toread,Daddy."
"What’swrongwiththetelly,forheaven’ssake? We’vegotalovelytellywithatwelve-inchscreenandnowyoucomeaskingforabook! You’regettingspoiled,mygirl!"
NearlyeveryweekdayafternoonMatildawasleftaloneinthehouse. Herbrother(fiveyearsolderthanher)wenttoschool. Herfatherwenttoworkandhermotherwentoutplayingbingoinatowneightmilesaway. Mrs.Wormwoodwashookedonbingoandplayeditfiveafternoonsaweek.
