Review: The Phantom Tollbooth By Norton Juster
This is a classic novel that I’ve been meaning to read for awhile, so I was really happy to get it as one of my Holiday Book Swap presents. This novel was originally published in 1961 but I still found the characters and situations relatable. The main character Milo is in a very stuck state. Nothing is exciting to Milo. Despite the obvious comforts in his life, he finds everything boring or is unable to focus on one task to completion.
One day Milo comes home to discover a large package in his room. Milo is intrigued enough to put the contents of the box together, and discovers it is a toll booth. Following the directions Milo drives his toy car into the Kingdom of Wisdom.
The world that Milo has discovered thrives on words. Every resident he meets greats him with words for sharing or purchase. With his new friend Tock , a clockwork dog, Milo finds his way through a great number of tricky situations before embarking on an epic quest to return Rhyme & Reason to the Kingdom.
I really enjoyed the first third of this book, but I found that the plot veered off course for awhile before finishing strong. I really enjoyed the word puns and the change in Milo after his quest. I thing this would be a great read for middle grade boys and girls and is tons of fun when it’s read aloud.
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