Review: Little Matilda

Little Matilda is kitten with a problem – nobody wants to play with her no matter how nicely she asks. It’s a tough life when your furry, scaly and feathered friends just aren’t interested in hanging out even when you’ve got awesome soccer boots. What is a kitten to do?

This delightful book, in rhyme that makes your mouth smile when you speak it out loud, is a testament to the power of persistence and kindness.

Matilda is of course very sad when potential playmates aren’t interested and tell her that she’s not up to playing their games. However, as a resourceful kitten she takes matters into her own paws, and after a little cry and a little sleep and a little thumb suck, she’s ready to try again. And this time, she’s met with more success than she could ever have imagined!

The watercolour illustrations are beautifully painted with attention to detail and a gentle colour palette that is nonetheless very engaging and colourful. There is a wonderful sense of movement and fun – Freda the fish has headwear that might just pay homage to Freda Kahlo if one thinks about it a little – and the mostly native Australian cast of animal characters are totally endearing.

Little Matilda reminds readers to be thoughtful and kind to others, while also being true to themselves. It offers ideas for self-soothing without being didactic about them, and it takes us to one of those magical places that arise when you work through a challenge and come out stronger at the other end. In fact, the zeitgeist-y words resilience and challenge are ideas that come alive in a very engaging way in this story.

There is great satisfaction in seeing Little Matilda overcome her loneliness and rejection by picking herself up, dusting herself off, and ultimately arriving at a completely unexpected, surprising destination.

This book is great fun to read, the pictures are glorious and the messages very timely.

Title: Little Matilda
Author: Caz Goodwin and Shaney Hyde
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish, $14.99
Publication Date: March 2022
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9789814974639
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book