See what Matilda would be up to now, as she celebrates her 30th birthday

Who doesn’t have a special place in their heart for Roald Dahl? The iconic author was responsible for generations of children discovering the joy of reading through his hilarious, mischievous and inspiring stories – one of which is, of course, the inimitable Matilda.

The classic novel, which follows the story of a little girl who uses her powerful brain to fight injustice, bullies and (worst of all) parents, turns 30 today, and many fans around the world are reminiscing on what the book means to them. The novel, published in 1988, and the film version in 1996, shaped the childhoods of many book lovers, who were shown by Matilda that reading and studying weren’t nerdy and uncool – in fact, quite the opposite.

Fans have been taking to social media to speak fondly about the childhood heroine, and some of the tributes have been amazing. A statue of Matilda was erected in Buckinghamshire today, close to where Roald Dahl lived, showing her standing up to President Trump as he bullies her.

LOOK: To celebrate 30 years since Welsh author Roald Dahl's book 'Matilda' was published, a statue of her staring down President @realDonaldTrump has been unveiled near where the author used to live in #Buckinghamshire #CapitalReports pic.twitter.com/YlqhUoplzG

— Capital Wales News (@CapitalWALNews) October 1, 2018

And closer to home, Irish food favourite Fallon & Byrne have recreated the infamous Bruce Bogtrotter cake to order:

It’s the 30th anniversary of the publication of Roald Dahl’s Matilda today! To celebrate we’ve partnered with @Deliveroo_IE to bring the infamous chocolate fudge cake to life. Visit the F&B Deli listing on the app to order a slice, or three!https://t.co/k8QKump0mG pic.twitter.com/ysT0d4jSbY

— Fallon & Byrne (@FallonandByrne) October 1, 2018

But the sweetest tribute was undoubtedly that of Sir Quentin Blake, the illustrator of all of Roald Dahl’s novels over the years. Today, on Matilda’s birthday, he took out his pencil once again to show us where she would be as an adult. And the pictures do not disappoint…

First, we see that Matilda has become a Professor of Astrophysics, and is now the Director of the International Astrophysics Institute, putting her maths skills to good use.

She’s also a Poet Laureate, with her most-loved work detailing her time at Crunchem Hall Elementary.

And of course, Matilda leaves time to pursue some world travel.

But most importantly, she still loves to read.

Over the years, many have lauded Matilda as a feminist icon for little girls, as she showed bravery, intelligence and integrity in the face of injustice. It’s nice to know that, even as an adult, Matilda is keeping up the good work.

Featured image: roalddahl.com