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The Phantom Tollbooth
 

The Phantom Tollbooth

by Norton Juster

"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... (read more)

Top tags: fantasy,  fiction,  classic,  childrens literature,  childrens (all tags)

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Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

a stor(e)y
  • Rated 5 stars

“I remember reading this a million times as a child! The plot centers around a very dull and practical boy who is bored. During a bout of boredom, he is transported to a land through a tollbooth. When there, he has to travel a path and meet a jumble of very interesting characters (all of which are a play on concepts, words, maths, etc). The book sparked my imagination every time as a child and I just loved the strange characters he meets and the quirky illustrations.”

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Didn’t Like It

Chulabird54
  • Rated 2 stars

“2.5 Stars...rated this way not because it isn't well written but because it just isn't my cup of tea. I wish I would have read this book earlier in life as I maybe would have enjoyed it more. The style is witty and quirky- but after reading a lot of gripping page turners I just had a hard time following through with poor little Milo. I might have to give it another try down the road...maybe when I have kids a little older that could enjoy it. Thanks to my book club for attempting to make...”

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Community:
  • Rated 4.265201 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4.5 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • ladybelle

    ladybelle said:

    “I would definitely recommend this book. I first encountered The Phantom Toll Booth in class, as a sixth grader. The book has the whimsy and charm of a fairy tale, carrying the reader into an alternate universe that completely ignores conventional scientific principle. Though rather thick in size for the amateur, the work is an extremely easy read and even has a variety of illustrations that add to the novel's entertainment. Beyond the surface of playful adventure, there is a wide array of thoughts to be considered and analyzed...a variety of strange and unfathomable scenarios to be discovered. Though I am now five years removed from my initial read, I took up the book during midterms in my senior year of high school. I wanted a simple, carefree novel to brighten my spirits and provide some relaxing fun...and Phantom definitely has the capacity to do that. I was also able to consider the material on a more mature level, and I found that the book can also act as a social/political commentary, if analyzed for the structures developed by the author. I think its a must-read for the contemporary young reader. In a word where tv, computers, and other modern hullabaloo constrict the child's imagination, a work like the Phantom Tollbooth is a god send. There is so much hear to be explored, so many thoughts to be encountered--the work demands that the reader imagine the world the author unfolds. For an ideal summer read, or an entertaining novel any time of year, pick up The Phantom Tollbooth....you won't regret it =)”

    posted Friday, June 20 2008
  • Cat Bauer

    cat bauer said:

    “I first read this book as a child, and have carried a copy with me throughout my life.”

    posted Wednesday, June 4 2008
  • Barbara M

    barbara m said:

    “I didn't know about this classic until I started working in a library with a wonderful children's librarian. She led me to this and my sons enjoyed it too. What great humor, plays on words, great world building. I would read this again and I never read books a second time. Perhaps my grandsons would love it too since I love to read it aloud. :-)”

    posted Monday, June 2 2008
  • Miss Monkey

    miss monkey said:

    “I TOTALLY agree Richa!!!”

    posted Thursday, May 15 2008
  • Richa M

    richa m said:

    “Sooooo Boring and irritating!!!!!!!!!!!”

    posted Thursday, May 15 2008
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