Why doesn't Mr wormwood want Matilda to read books?

Mr. Wormwood doesn't want Matilda to read books because he believes that reading is a waste of time and that it is not a useful or practical skill. He is also afraid that Matilda's intelligence and knowledge gained from reading will make her realize how ignorant and dishonest he is, and he wants to keep her under his control and manipulation. Additionally, Mr. Wormwood is a dishonest and unethical person who doesn't value education or intellectual pursuits, so he doesn't see the value in Matilda reading books.