Our Rating:
Library Formats:
Book
Age Group:
Children, Young Adults
Genre:
Fantasy, Adventure
Bored? Ah well, just jump in your car and take a drive through The Phantom Tollbooth.
That’s not what Milo planned to do, but when he did —— an amazing world of fascination and wonder confronted him. The Phantom Tollbooth isn’t just another adventure story, it’s a voyage of discovery. A discovery of language, imagination and delight.
You’ll soon find yourself with Milo in the court of King Azaz and on a visit to the Word Market. There, you can find ‘Juicy, tempting words for sale’ and where you can actually eat your words.
In the company of Tock, the watchdog, and the Humbug, Milo takes to the road on a quest to rescue the sweet Princesses Rhyme and Reason from the Castle in the Air. They had been banished from the Land of Wisdom after the feud between King Azad and his brother the Mathemagician over the relative importance of words and numbers.
Meeting with adventures in the Mountains of Ignorance, conducting A Colourful Symphony and attempting to find their way to Infinity the resolute trio boldly pursue their quest. Rhyme and Reason are safely taken home to Wisdom with immense celebrations throughout the land.
Has Milo recovered from his boredom? Of course you know the answer.
While filling his story with an abundance of playful ideas Juster also manages to pass on little gems of wisdom…
“But it’s only a pencil.”
“True enough, but once you learn how to use it there’s no end to what you can do.”
This is a world of can do, a world of never give up. Keep your principles, care for others, be socially responsible, treasure both words and numbers. Above all remember “So many things are possible so long as you don’t know they’re impossible.”
Who is it for?
Independent readers will revel in the fun and playfulness of this story. Alternatively, if you’re reading aloud to younger children there are many delightful moments to inspire them in their talk or creative play. It’s also a wonderful piece of escapism to entertain readers of any age.
While you’re here, you might also like to find Norton Juster’s cartoon ‘The Dot and the Line’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_QhIVYlcmE
– David Cohen