Author: Norton Juster
Illustrator: Jules Feiffer
© Date: 1961
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Pages: 256
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, but many pages do not have an illustration
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-12 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: Through the Phantom Tollbooth lie a strange land and a series of even strangers adventures, in which a boy named Milo meets some of the most logically illogical characters on this side or that side of reality, including King Azaz of the Unabridged, unhappy ruler of Dictionopolis; the Mathemagician; Faintly Macabre, the not-so-wicket Which; and the watchdog Tock, who ticks. In his quest for Rhyme and Reason, Milo helps settle the war between words and numbers, visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), and ventures into the forbidden Mountains of Ignorance, whose all-too-familiar demons menace his every step.
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this awhile ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: I loved the witty word play and ideas on life presented in this book. The views on living a full life reminded me of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince. I also appreciated that the story really makes the reader think about what is happening and how that relates to everyday living. The story is still relevant today, even though it is an older story. All of that being said, I found this to be a slower read. I really wanted to pay attention to the story and focus on it, but I read before bed and my tired brain was struggling to hold everything together. Which then made me wonder what that says about the intellectual quality of all of the other books that I am reading… At any rate, Page Pup has enjoyed hearing this several times at school and I intend to read it again someday. Until then, I hope not to get stuck in the Doldrums.
Note that a few of the characters in Near the End that live in Ignorance could be scary for younger or sensitive readers.
Family Unit: Milo is a boy that leaves home to explore the curiosity of the Phantom Tollbooth. He befriends Tock (a watchdog) and a Humbug that join him for his journey through The Lands Beyond.