SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

Well, I'm in heaven.

My 5.5yo DD saw the movie Matilda this summer, and I told her it was also a book and she asked if we could read it. We've read some light chapter books but haven't quite moved to this many words-v-pictures yet, but I was excited by the idea that she might be ready for longer books that we could explore together.

Sure enough, she loves it. She begged me to read an extra chapter tonight, her eyes all wide staring off into space, toes wiggling... and when I close the book she has a MILLION questions about the plot. "Wait, is Matilda GOOD? But isn't tricking NAUGHTY? Is the movie wrong or the book, because the glued hat has a different story in the book!"

This is seriously something I have been waiting for my whole life. Next up - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, then maybe Harry Potter.

So excited.

I hope my children enjoy reading. I know I enjoy reading and scrapbooking. :)

Matilda was among the first chapter books we read with DD. And read it over and over.

It's a great book.

My oldest sister lived on the same road as Roald Dahl in his later years---her kids loved having him for a neighbor. (He was an interesting fellow.)

We still watch it every time it's on---it's on my DVR right now.

And we refer to certain behaviors as Trunchbulling.

DD is an avid reader,and always has been---I credit the (much lighter, short, easy) American Girl books with her passion for U.S. history. She'd read about one little snippet, then spend weeks in the library picking related book after related book.

DS is less of a book reader---but an avid researcher of history info triggered by documentaries and thing like that. (He's into journal articles, and such.)

I love it when they find one new thing....then use it as a springboard for learning ALL about a subject.

Roald Dahl books are just brilliant. I read "Danny the Champion of the World" to my son in its entirety when he was two. I'm glad your daughter liked the movie and is liking the book.

then maybe Harry Potter.

One of my very favorite memories (and his, too) is when I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to him, using silly voices and accents. He was almost 9 and it was magic. No pun intended.

All of Dahl's children's books are great. They are humorous, the children in them are strong, and they portray adults in interesting perspectives, from a child's point of view. I love reading him. I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a kid, but somehow missed most of his fabulous work till I read them to my oldest. HB baby is now 7, and we're getting to share them with her now.

This is my DD's favorite movie (even though she is 14 now). She has watched it over and over and over.

I think this book sounds like a great Christmas idea for her! Thank you!!!

Awww, that's so cute.

His autobiographical stuff is just as cool as his fictional work.

You might want to save his Revolting Rhymes for the grownups,,,

And my favorite..

Cinderella

I guess you think you know this story.

You don't. The real one's much more gory.

The phoney one, the one you know,

Was cooked up years and years ago,

And made to sound all soft and sappy

just to keep the children happy.

Mind you, they got the first bit right,

The bit where, in the dead of night,

The Ugly Sisters, jewels and all,

Departed for the Palace Ball,

While darling little Cinderella

Was locked up in a slimy cellar,

Where rats who wanted things to eat,

Began to nibble at her feet.

She bellowed 'Help!' and 'Let me out!

The Magic Fairy heard her shout.

Appearing in a blaze of light,

She said: 'My dear, are you all right?'

'All right?' cried Cindy .'Can't you see

'I feel as rotten as can be!'

She beat her fist against the wall,

And shouted, 'Get me to the Ball!

'There is a Disco at the Palace!

'The rest have gone and I am jealous!

'I want a dress! I want a coach!

'And earrings and a diamond brooch!

'And silver slippers, two of those!

'And lovely nylon panty hose!

'Done up like that I'll guarantee

'The handsome Prince will fall for me!'

The Fairy said, 'Hang on a tick.'

She gave her wand a mighty flick

And quickly, in no time at all,

Cindy was at the Palace Ball!

It made the Ugly Sisters wince

To see her dancing with the Prince.

She held him very tight and pressed

herself against his manly chest.

The Prince himself was turned to pulp,

All he could do was gasp and gulp.

Then midnight struck. She shouted,'Heck!

I've got to run to save my neck!'

The Prince cried, 'No! Alas! Alack!'

He grabbed her dress to hold her back.

As Cindy shouted, 'Let me go!'

The dress was ripped from head to toe.

She ran out in her underwear,

And lost one slipper on the stair.

The Prince was on it like a dart,

He pressed it to his pounding heart,

'The girl this slipper fits,' he cried,

'Tomorrow morn shall be my bride!

I'll visit every house in town

'Until I've tracked the maiden down!'

Then rather carelessly, I fear,

He placed it on a crate of beer.

At once, one of the Ugly Sisters,

(The one whose face was blotched with blisters)

Sneaked up and grabbed the dainty shoe,

And quickly flushed it down the loo.

Then in its place she calmly put

The slipper from her own left foot.

Ah ha, you see, the plot grows thicker,

And Cindy's luck starts looking sicker.

Next day, the Prince went charging down

To knock on all the doors in town.

In every house, the tension grew.

Who was the owner of the shoe?

The shoe was long and very wide.

(A normal foot got lost inside.)

Also it smelled a wee bit icky.

(The owner's feet were hot and sticky.)

Thousands of eager people came

To try it on, but all in vain.

Now came the Ugly Sisters' go.

One tried it on. The Prince screamed, 'No!'

But she screamed, 'Yes! It fits! Whoopee!

'So now you've got to marry me!'

The Prince went white from ear to ear.

He muttered, 'Let me out of here.'

'Oh no you don't! You made a vow!

'There's no way you can back out now!'

'Off with her head!'The Prince roared back.

They chopped it off with one big whack.

This pleased the Prince. He smiled and said,

'She's prettier without her head.'

Then up came Sister Number Two,

Who yelled, 'Now I will try the shoe!'

'Try this instead!' the Prince yelled back.

He swung his trusty sword and smack

Her head went crashing to the ground.

It bounced a bit and rolled around.

In the kitchen, peeling spuds,

Cinderella heard the thuds

Of bouncing heads upon the floor,

And poked her own head round the door.

'What's all the racket? 'Cindy cried.

'Mind your own bizz,' the Prince replied.

Poor Cindy's heart was torn to shreds.

My Prince! she thought. He chops off heads!

How could I marry anyone

Who does that sort of thing for fun?

The Prince cried, 'Who's this dirty slut?

'Off with her nut! Off with her nut!'

Just then, all in a blaze of light,

The Magic Fairy hove in sight,

Her Magic Wand went swoosh and swish!

'Cindy! 'she cried, 'come make a wish!

'Wish anything and have no doubt

'That I will make it come about!'

Cindy answered, 'Oh kind Fairy,

'This time I shall be more wary.

'No more Princes, no more money.

'I have had my taste of honey.

I'm wishing for a decent man.

'They're hard to find. D'you think you can?'

Within a minute, Cinderella

Was married to a lovely feller,

A simple jam maker by trade,

Who sold good home-made marmalade.

Their house was filled with smiles and laughter

And they were happy ever after.

[This message edited by scaredyKat at 1:47 AM, September 17th (Thursday)]

Just a warning that if you're going to watch the movie versions of his books (i.e., Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). The Witches is freakin' scary. My kids were terrified of that and hated it. Just don't assume they're all kid friendly.

Oh yeah, we won't be watching or reading The Witches anytime soon! Loved those, but they were pretty intense.

My kids and I have read almost every Roald Dahl book; they actually spontaneously read them themselves without any prodding. I love his twisted sense of humour, and the fact that he doesn't condescend to the kids reading his books---he includes some gore, weirdness, and actions that make kids think, and want to talk about them. I just today found a Roald Dahl box-set at Costco that I'm going to give to my BFF's little 6- year old girl for Christmas. She'll love them.