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The Phantom Tollbooth

by Norton Juster

The Phantom Tollbooth Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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.

Review:

" I read [The Phantom Tollbooth] first when I was 10. I still have the book report I wrote, which began 'This is the best book ever.'"
-Anna Quindlen, The New York Times

Review:

"A classic... Humorous, full of warmth and real invention."
-The New Yorker

Review:

" I read [The Phantom Tollbooth] first when I was 10. I still have the book report I wrote, which began 'This is the best book ever.'"

--Anna Quindlen, The New York Times

"A classic... Humorous, full of warmth and real invention."

--The New Yorker

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
ulisesf, June 11, 2009 (view all comments by ulisesf)
I haven't read the book,I saw the movie when I was a child, I simply loved the story, I'd like to read it, every day comes to me a scene from the movie and it's helpful in everyday's life, as everybody knows a book is more powerful than any picture so I've missed a lot. Bye
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Kimberly Dull, January 6, 2009 (view all comments by Kimberly Dull)
I first read this book in 6th grade and fell in love with it. It's a truly original, fantastical story and is up there with "Alice in Wonderland" in its silly, nonsensical fun. I recently bought it for my godson, and I hope he lends it to me.
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Cathy from Olympia, Washington, July 13, 2008 (view all comments by Cathy from Olympia, Washington)
Milo discovers that a largish package has mysteriously appeared in his room, containing "one genuine turnpike tollbooth." Milo assembles the tollbooth and drives past "for lack of anything to do," quickly finding himself in a totally different world...

Juster's novel is a wonderful play on words throughout-- for example in Dictionopolis, land where letters and words are grown for local use and export, one literally eats one's words. And Milo is accompanied on his adventures by Tock, a "watchdog" who ticks and Humbug from the "noble ... Insecticus humbugium" family. I would share more, but don't want to spoil the fun! One of my favorite books ever.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780394820378
Author:
Juster, Norton
Publisher:
Random House
Illustrator:
Feiffer, Jules
ill.:
Feiffer, Jules
Author:
Feiffer, Jules
Location:
New York :
Subject:
Children's fiction
Subject:
Classics
Subject:
Action & Adventure
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy
Subject:
Fantastic fiction
Subject:
Fantasy
Subject:
Children's stories, American
Subject:
Fantasy fiction
Subject:
Puns and punning
Subject:
Action & Adventure - General
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Subject:
Imaginary places
Copyright:
c196
Edition Number:
35
Edition Description:
Anniversary
Series Volume:
125
Publication Date:
October 1988
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
Elementary and junior high
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
272
Dimensions:
7.15x5.24x.70 in. .39 lbs.
Age Level:
08-12
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