Matilda

Discover engaging literacy reading resources for Year 3 and Year 4 classes with this rich, curriculum-aligned exploration of Matilda. Designed to build reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical-thinking skills, these Matilda-themed activities support guided reading, whole-class reading skills and discussions, and independent learning.

Perfect for teachers seeking high-quality LKS2 literacy materials, this resource helps learners connect with Roald Dahl’s classic text while developing confidence, creativity, and a lifelong love of reading.

The first comprehension set for Chapter 1 of Matilda includes 12 questions that vary in style to cover: retrieval questions, SPAG, inference and more.

Summary
Chapter 1 introduces Matilda Wormwood, a remarkably bright little girl born into a family that has no interest in nurturing her talents. While most parents proudly encourage their children, Matilda’s parents dismiss her intelligence and treat her as an inconvenience. From an early age, she teaches herself to read using newspapers and magazines left around the house, quickly discovering that the world of books offers far more kindness and excitement than anything she receives at home.

Feeling starved of stimulation, Matilda begins visiting the local library, where her love of reading flourishes under the gentle support of the librarian. As she devours book after book, her imagination and understanding of the world expand far beyond her years. Despite the neglect she faces, Matilda’s curiosity, resilience, and sense of fairness begin to shine—quiet hints of the extraordinary girl she is becoming.

Whether you’re planning classwork or homework, this resource is perfect for whole class reading or guided reading sessions, and it covers a range of objectives in the reading and literacy curriculum.

Summary
Chapter 2 highlights the sharp contrast between Matilda’s developing moral awareness and her parents’ careless behaviour. While Mr Wormwood boasts about his dodgy used-car business and proudly predicts that his son Michael will one day join him, Matilda begins to understand just how dishonest her father’s dealings truly are. She is appalled when he describes the tricks he uses—like stuffing sawdust into engines—to cheat his customers, and she cannot hide her disgust at the idea of their family benefiting from such behaviour.

Her father, furious at being challenged by a child, lashes out and dismisses her intelligence, deepening the sense of unfairness Matilda faces at home. This moment marks a turning point for her. Realising that reason and honesty mean nothing to her parents, she quietly decides that she will no longer simply endure their mistreatment. Instead, she begins to contemplate standing up for herself in her own clever, determined way—setting the stage for the inventive retaliations to come.

With multiple choice and free response questions included for every chapter, this Matilda resource pack is useful for both assessment and class discussion.

Summary
Chapter 3 focuses on Matilda’s first act of clever rebellion against her parents’ constant mistreatment. After her father’s latest bout of shouting and belittling, Matilda decides she can no longer simply tolerate his behaviour. Spotting an opportunity in his predictable morning routine, she secretly applies strong glue to the inside brim of his favourite, flashy hat. Her plan is simple: he’ll put it on without thinking, and the consequences will unfold on their own.

The next morning, everything goes exactly as she anticipated. Mr Wormwood follows his usual rushed habits, slams on his hat without hesitation, and heads out—only to discover later that it is stuck fast to his head. His attempts to remove it lead to embarrassment, frustration, and a ruined hat, all while Matilda calmly observes the fallout. The chapter highlights her intelligence, resourcefulness, and growing determination to stand up for herself in the only ways her parents will notice.

Teachers can use our Matilda comprehension resources for guided reading or as part of whole class reading sessions focused on key reading objectives.

Summary
Chapter 4 continues to show just how dismissive and unreasonable Matilda’s parents are, especially her father, who treats her love of reading as something suspicious rather than admirable. When Matilda borrows a library book and settles down to enjoy it, Mr Wormwood storms in and accuses her of wasting time. He insists that watching television is far more worthwhile, mocking her interest in stories and learning. Instead of recognising her intelligence, her parents try to force her into their narrow routine of loud TV and shallow entertainment.

This unfair treatment fuels Matilda’s growing sense of injustice. After enduring yet another outburst—this time sparked simply because she chooses a book over the television—she realises that reasoning with her parents will never work. Their behaviour convinces her that standing up for herself means being inventive and bold. By the end of the chapter, Matilda is more determined than ever to use her quick thinking and creativity to teach her parents a lesson they won’t forget.

The resource is structured around questions for each chapter in the book, making it easy to track progress as students move through the book.

Summary
Chapter 5 shifts the focus to Matilda’s mother, who is every bit as dismissive as her father but in a different way. Mrs Wormwood is obsessed with looking glamorous, spending long hours at the beauty salon and boasting about treatments, lotions, and makeovers. She believes appearance is far more important than education, proudly telling Matilda that brains don’t matter nearly as much as looking attractive. Her shallow priorities highlight the huge gap between Matilda’s thoughtful, curious nature and the values of the adults around her.

During one of her mother’s self-satisfied speeches, Matilda quietly questions this worldview, pointing out—politely but pointedly—that intelligence and learning can be just as valuable as appearance. Instead of listening, Mrs Wormwood becomes irritated and dismisses Matilda’s ideas, insisting she knows better. This encounter reinforces the loneliness Matilda feels in her own home, but it also strengthens her resolve. As she realises her parents will never understand her, her confidence in relying on her own judgment and abilities begins to grow.

Pupils can practise grammar, punctuation, and spelling in context with our comprehension pack for Matilda from questions 5-8, tied directly to each chapter.

Summary
Chapter 6 explores how deeply Matilda relies on books as a source of comfort and escape. Surrounded by parents who neither notice nor value her abilities, she turns to stories to understand the world beyond her home. Through the characters she meets in these books, Matilda learns about kindness, bravery, and possibilities that feel very different from the neglect she experiences daily. Reading becomes her safe space—somewhere she feels seen, supported, and inspired.

This chapter also highlights how Matilda’s love of learning shapes her identity. Each book she reads strengthens her confidence and curiosity, giving her a sense of belonging she cannot find with her own family. Although her parents dismiss reading as unimportant, Matilda knows that stories give her knowledge and power. By the end of the chapter, it becomes clear that her passion for reading is not simply a hobby but a vital part of who she is—and something that will help her face the challenges ahead.

Our literacy resource sets includes a rich mix of retrieval questions, inference questions, summarising questions, and sequencing questions, helping students develop key comprehension skills.

Summary
Chapter 7 marks an important shift in Matilda’s life as she begins school and meets Miss Honey, the first adult to truly recognise her extraordinary abilities. From the moment Miss Honey sees Matilda read, calculate, and think far beyond her age, she is astonished—not only by Matilda’s intelligence, but also by her humility and gentleness. For Matilda, meeting someone who genuinely listens and respects her is a new and uplifting experience, and it gives her a glimpse of what a supportive adult relationship can feel like.

Miss Honey quickly realises that Matilda needs more challenge than the average pupil, and she becomes determined to help her reach her potential. However, she also senses that something is not quite right at home, noticing subtle signs that Matilda’s talents have not been nurtured or encouraged. The warmth between the two characters begins to grow, laying the foundations for a bond that will become central to the story. This chapter highlights how transformative it can be when a child is finally seen for who they truly are.