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 ground of children before on their first day.
Can any of you three read book? she said.