Miss Honey was feeling quite strange. But she had to find out more about this surprising little girl.
"Well,' she said, looking at all the children. 'Let's leave numbers for a minute or two and see if any of you can spell. Hands up anyone who can spell cat.
Three hands went up. They belonged to Lavender,a small boy called Nigel and to Matilda.
'Spell cat, Nigel,' said Miss Honey.
Nigel spelled it.
Then Miss Honey asked a question that she had never asked a group of children before on their first day. 'Can any of you three read a book?' She said.
'I can, Miss Honey,' said Matilda. 'I've read all the children's books in the library in the High Street.'
Miss Honey's voice was shaking when she asked, 'And - and what are you going to read now,Matilda?'
'I'm reading other books, said Matilda. 'Mrs Phelps at the library helps me to choose them.'
'What...other books?' asked Miss Honey. Her legs and her voice were shaking now.
'I like Charles Dickens's books,' said Matilda.
Miss Honey suddenly found that she had to sit down.