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The Phantom Tollbooth
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Trip to enchanted world excites learning in kids' classic.
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A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
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Community Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
Gives important life perspectives
Classic read for kids and adults
What's the Story?
Young Milo is bored in school and bored with life, not seeing the point of much of anything. In the midst of this funk, he comes home from school to find a mysterious tollbooth in his apartment and, for lack of anything better to do, hops in his little electric car and drives through it. Ultimately, accompanied by a Watch Dog named Tock and a strange creature called the Humbug, he sets forth on a quest to rescue the princesses Rhyme and Reason from dire captivity, seeing many peculiar sights and meeting many interesting characters along the way -- as well as getting an introduction to numerous academic concepts.
Is It Any Good?
Clearly a book by an unabashedly brainy adult, it evangelizes intellectualism with glee, which some kids are going to find more entertaining than others. But a book does not remain a hit for more than half a century without striking a chord in the hearts of a sizeable audience, and THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH has garnered a huge, multi-generational following.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how easy it is not to think about what you're doing, and how much trouble you can get into that way. The book is full of silly examples, but you can probably think of plenty of your own.
What are you most interested in learning about, in or outside of school? What do you find boring? Why do you think it's boring? What might make you change your mind?
If you could go on a quest with your choice of companions, where would you go, what would be your task, and who would you take along?
Book Details
- Author: Norton Juster
- Illustrator: Jules Feiffer
- Genre: Learning
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Yearling Books
- Publication date: August 12, 1961
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 272
- Last updated: June 4, 2020
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