The Phantom Tollbooth
by Norton Juster
List Price:
Our Price: $3.00
You Save: $3.99 (57%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Norton JusterIllustrator: Jules Feiffer
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1988-10-12
ISBN: 0394820371
Number of pages: 272
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: Bullseye Books
Book Reviews of The Phantom Tollbooth
Book Review: A Magical Adventure Awaits!
Summary: 5 Stars
Norton Juster wrote the exiting book The Phantom Tollbooth. The book is about a silent boy named Milo who is bored with life. He finds a mysterious box and assembles the contents: a miniature tollbooth with a great adventure inside.
Milo drives his toy car through the tollbooth into a fantasy world. As he travels through this world he meets many strange creatures. Many of the creatures he meets become helpful friends. As he quickly travels through the land he learns about two princesses, Rhyme and Reason, who are banished to the Castle in the Air. He decides to go save them. Driving across the land he learns many lessons that will help him become a better person.
The author uses comedy and figures of speech to keep the story interesting. To follow Milo's adventure in the new land a reader would need alot of brains to understand everything. The adventure is constantly changing. Milo learns to be courageous in multiple situations. Even though the story is suspenseful, the ending can be predicted.
The book has multiple messages. One of the messages that stands out is to keep on going no matter what the obstacles. Many times Milo and his friends are tempted to just give up, like when they were trapped on the Island of Conclusions. But instead of giving up, they push on and never give up which helps them accomplish to their goal of freeing Rhyme and Reason. Often it seems that Milo will be defeated. The reader has to keep reading to find out what eventually happens to Milo. Some times it is hard to get the point, I found that the PACES PAideia study guide helped me to see the message clearer.
It is very important to keep your eye on the goal, especially today. This book is definitely worthwhile to read.
Summary of The Phantom Tollbooth
Illustrated in black-and-white. This ingenious fantasy centers around Milo, a bored ten-year-old who comes home to find a large toy tollbooth sitting in his room. Joining forces with a watchdog named Tock, Milo drives through the tollbooth's gates and begins a memorable journey. He meets such characters as the foolish, yet lovable Humbug, the Mathemagician, and the not-so-wicked "Which," Faintly Macabre, who gives Milo the "impossible" mission of returning two princesses to the Kingdom of Wisdom."It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time," Milo laments. "[T]here's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." This bored, bored young protagonist who can't see the point to anything is knocked out of his glum humdrum by the sudden and curious appearance of a tollbooth in his bedroom. Since Milo has absolutely nothing better to do, he dusts off his toy car, pays the toll, and drives through. What ensues is a journey of mythic proportions, during which Milo encounters countless odd characters who are anything but dull.
Norton Juster received (and continues to receive) enormous praise for this original, witty, and oftentimes hilarious novel, first published in 1961. In an introductory "Appreciation" written by Maurice Sendak for the 35th anniversary edition, he states, "The Phantom Tollbooth leaps, soars, and abounds in right notes all over the place, as any proper masterpiece must." Indeed.
As Milo heads toward Dictionopolis he meets with the Whether Man ("for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be"), passes through The Doldrums (populated by Lethargarians), and picks up a watchdog named Tock (who has a giant alarm clock for a body). The brilliant satire and double entendre intensifies in the Word Market, where after a brief scuffle with Officer Short Shrift, Milo and Tock set off toward the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the twin Princesses, Rhyme and Reason. Anyone with an appreciation for language, irony, or Alice in Wonderland-style adventure will adore this book for years on end. (Ages 8 and up)
General Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in General Books
Wild Magic (The Immortals)by Tamora Pierce
Full Cast Audio; Published: 2005-01-01; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $29.93
Price in other shops:
The Neverending Storyby Michael Ende
Puffin; Published: 1985; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.03
Mossflowerby Brian Jacques
Published: 2008-10; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $16.99
Dealing With Dragonsby Patricia C. Wrede
San Val; Published: 2002-03; School & Library Binding; Book
Price in other shops:
The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls (American Girl Library)by Valorie Schaefer
American Girl Publishing Inc; Published: 1998-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.25
Price in other shops:
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: A Chrestomance Book (Chicken Soup for the Soul)by Mark Victor Hansen
Published: 2008-04-18; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $21.86
Price in other shops:
Alanna : The First Adventureby Tamora Pierce
Atheneum; Published: 2002-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.39
Price in other shops:
Ella Enchantedby Gail Carson Levine
HarperCollins; Published: 1997-05-30; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $16.02
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkabanby J. K. Rowling
Arthur A. Levine Books; Published: 2003-11-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.00
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fireby J. K. Rowling
Arthur A. Levine Books; Published: 2003-11-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $17.85
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
James and the Giant Peachby Roald Dahl
Puffin; Published: 2000-04-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Mr. Popper's Penguinsby Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater
Little, Brown Young Readers; Published: 1992-11-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.75
Price in other shops:
The Mysterious Benedict Societyby Trenton Lee Stewart
Little, Brown Young Readers; Published: 2008-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.55
Price in other shops:
Where the Red Fern Growsby Wilson Rawls, Wilson Rawls
Yearling; Published: 1996-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.03
Price in other shops:
The Cricket in Times Square (Chester Cricket and His Friends)by George Selden
Square Fish; Published: 2008-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.08
Price in other shops:
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles 30th Anniversary Editionby Julie Andrews Edwards
HarperCollins; Published: 1989-10-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.03
Price in other shops:
Harriet the Spyby Louise Fitzhugh
Yearling; Published: 2001-05-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.89
Price in other shops:
Island of the Blue Dolphinsby Scott O'Dell
Yearling; Published: 1987-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.24
Price in other shops:
A Wrinkle in Timeby Madeleine L'Engle
Square Fish; Published: 2007-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweilerby E.L. Konigsburg
INGRAM BOOK & DISTRIBUTOR; Aladdin; Published: 1998-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.02
Price in other shops: