Theatre
Interview
The cast of Matilda pick their favourite books
In celebration of World Book Day, we chatted to the children of Matilda The Musical about their favourite reads
This World Book Day, we’re taking recommendations for our next read from the West End’s most bookish show. Based on the beloved Roald Dahl classic, Matilda The Musical sees its title character harnessing the power of a curious mind and a vivid imagination to protect herself and those she loves. Matilda reads some pretty hefty books in the show (including War And Peace in the original Russian) but we were curious about what the real children in the cast were reaching for this World Book Day. Here’s what they said.
The Matildas
“My favourite book is The BFG by Roald Dahl. I love it for its quirky jokes, as well as its message of standing up to bullies through teamwork and friendship and teaching not to judge others based on their appearance.”
“I love the whole Harry Potter series but the fourth book, The Goblet of Fire, is the best because of the Yule ball and the Triwizard Tournament Games. The games especially were so exciting as they had lots of twists and turns and an unpredictable ending that changed everything.”
“My favourite is The Magic Faraway Tree, The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. I loved the imaginative adventures the children went on and how the author brought it all to life. I was surprised when I found out the book was written in 1939. It’s a timeless classic!”
The Lavenders
“Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days. I like it because there are lots of humorous moments whilst capturing a kid’s daily life.”
“My favourite book to read is called Sleepovers by Jacqueline Wilson. My favourite thing about this story is that it shows the power of true friendship. This story is about five friends who all have sleepovers for their birthdays, apart from one called Daisy, because she has a sister with a disability, and she is afraid that the girls will make fun of her. However, the story has a happy ending and Daisy gets her sleepover eventually. The message behind this story is that things do not always turn out how you think they might.”
The Bruces
“Crook Haven: The School for Thieves by J.J. Arcanjo is my favourite book at the moment because it’s super exciting. It’s all about this amazing school where children learn how to be cheeky and clever, like real-life spies or secret agents. I love reading about all the cool tricks they learn, like picking locks and sneaking around. Plus there are lots of adventures and mysteries to solve, which makes it really fun to read. Even though it’s about thieves, it’s also about friendship and doing the right thing, which is really important. I felt like I was going on a fun journey with lots of surprises along the way. Overall it is an awesome book that keeps you hooked from start to finish.”
“My favourite book is Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Getaway because it makes me laugh and Greg is clumsy and always gets into trouble which reminds me of my brother.”
Nigel
“I love The Witches because it’s tense and I want to turn the page to find out what happens next. It’s so clever how the witches hide their identity. They have gloves to hide their thin curvy claws, wigs to cover their baldness and shoes cover their toeless square feet.”
Amanda
“I love to read Harry Potter because I love the magic and how they go on dangerous adventures. I admire their loyalty and friendship towards one another along the way.”
Eric
“My favourite book is Anne of Green Gables because it’s funny, creative and really helps my imagination run wild!”
The Alices
“My favourite is Kiss Of Death because it’s about the plague and I love learning about different historical events!”
“Mine is Saffron Barker vs Real Life by Saffron Barker because it’s real, and I find her life very interesting.”
The Hortensias
“George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl. It’s very humorous and interesting. It left me feeling like I wanted to know what happens next.”
“I don’t think I could say I have a favourite book as it changes all the time! A book I loved and read recently was Street Child by Berlie Doherty. It tells the story of Jim Jarvis and his struggles in Victorian London. I love history and this story explores the time period, whilst telling a fantastic story full of friendship, love and sadness. What’s more, the story is based on real life which makes it all the more interesting.”
Tommy
“My favourite book is Football School by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton. I love them because they teach you about football around the world, including players we know about in the past and present. But also it has funny facts about football too so it makes me laugh going to bed! It’s part of a series so I have collected all six of them.”
Matilda The Musical is now playing at the Cambridge Theatre. Find tickets here.
