25 Matilda Quotes from the Childhood Classic

By Stephanie Kirby | Published August 10, 2022

Escape the stress of the present with these Matilda quotes from the work of Roald Dahl.

Road Dahl wrote many of children’s favorite books from James and the Giant Peach to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Another one of his famous works is Matilda.

Matilda is a novel about a young girl who is incredibly smart but born into a family of idiots.

Her unused potential in knowledge ends up giving up the ability to use her eyes to make things move, which ends up creating some fun and exciting situations in her life.

The book is clever, funny, and entertaining.

It was even turned into a movie in the late 1990s.

Here are some Matilda quotes to help you remember the book and the movie.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration.

Check out our inspirational quotes category page for more inspirational life quotes.

Matilda quotes about books and reading

1. “I’m wondering what to read next. I’ve finished all the children’s books.” ― Matilda

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2. “Sometimes Matilda longed for a friend, someone like the kind, courageous people in her books.” ― Matilda

3. “There was a moment of silence, and Matilda, who had never before heard great romantic poetry spoke aloud, was profoundly moved. ‘It’s like music,’ she whispered.” ― Matilda

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4. “There was a moment of silence, and Matilda, who had never before heard great romantic poetry spoken aloud, was profoundly moved. ‘It’s like music,’ she whispered.” ― Matilda

5. “By the time she was three, Matilda had taught herself to read by studying newspapers and magazines that lay around the house. At the age of four, she could read fast and well, and she naturally began hankering after books.” ― Matilda

6. “Parents never underestimated the abilities of their own children. Quite the reverse. Sometimes it was well nigh impossible for a teacher to convince the proud father or mother that their beloved offspring was a complete nitwit.” ― Matilda

7. “So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.” ― Matilda

8. “With frightening suddenness, he now began ripping the pages out of the book in handfuls and throwing them in the waste-paper basket. Matilda froze in horror. The father kept going. There seemed little doubt that the man felt some kind of jealousy.” ― Matilda

9. “The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She traveled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.” ― Matilda

Inspirational Matilda quotes

10. “If you are good, life is good.” ― Matilda

11. “I was flying past the stars on silver wings. I was wonderful.” ― Matilda

12. “Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.” ― Matilda

13. “Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” ― Matilda

14. “Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable…” ― Matilda

Matilda quotes from Miss Trunchbull

15. “You couldn’t spell “difficulty” if your life depended on it.” ― Miss Trunchbull

16. “My school is a model of discipline! Use the rod, beat the child, that’s my motto.” ― Miss Trunchbull

17. “I’m right and you’re wrong. I’m big and you’re small, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” ― Miss Trunchbull

18. “What nonsense. You are not supposed to learn long words like that until you are at least eight or nine.” ― Miss Trunchbull

19. “Cake. CHOCOLATE cake. You slithered like a serpent into the school kitchen and ate MY PERSONAL SNACK!” ― Miss Trunchbull

20. “The Headmistress is very strict about everything. Make sure your clothes are clean, your faces are clean and your hands are clean. Speak only when spoken to.” ― Miss Honey

21. “I have never been able to understand why small children are so disgusting. They’re the bane of my life. They’re like insects: they should be got rid of as early as possible.” ― Miss Trunchbull

22. “I have discovered…that a bad girl is a far more dangerous creature than a bad boy. What’s more, they’re much harder to squash. Nasty dirty things, little girls are. Glad I never was one.” ― Miss Trunchbull

23. “And I’ll tell you what. I wish to heavens I was still allowed to use the birch and belt as I did in the good old days! I’d have roasted Matilda’s bottom for her so she couldn’t sit down for a month!” ― Miss Trunchbull

24. “Small people should never be seen by anybody. They should be kept out of sight in boxes like hairpins and buttons. I cannot for the life of me see why children have to take so long to grow up. I think they do it on purpose.” ― Miss Trunchbull

25. “Wormwood! You useless, used-car-salesman scum! I want you around here now with another car! Yes, I know what caveat emptor means, you low life liar! I’m gonna sue you. I’m gonna burn down your showroom! I’m gonna take that no-good jalopy you sold me and shove it up your bazooga! When I’m finished with you, you’re gonna look like roadkill!” ― Miss Trunchbull