The Phantom Tollbooth

I am official "old" and this is a children's book. I read it because another "old person" told me it was profound and beautifully written, and that person was right. I LOVED THIS BOOK! It's one I will read again.

I love this book so much, i have read it to my children 3 times and it never gets old. Perfect for bedtime reading, educational book for school, fun book just to enjoy.. it is just all around amazing. My husband and I both love the whole plot, the life lessons, and the silliness the kids enjoyed. Highly recommend.

I got this for a little girl turning 8 recently. She is an avid reader and I remembered how much I enjoyed this story at her age. It is a book full of adventures and exciting ideas that stimulate discussions and ideas in everyone of all ages. It was a great value too. Encouraging children to read, encourages them to think and to question and this book is great for that. I also re-read it and was again transported with the story. it has some pretty advanced ideas, but uses the story and the action to explain them. Same with the vocabulary. It's great for teaching and reading.

I don't care what it says on the cover, if this is ONLY a book for children, I'm a circus acrobat. And since I'm a 66 yr. old crippled lady and NOT a circus acrobat, this must not be a book just for children. What is it? It's a wonderful collection of delightful play with words and numbers, puns and logic, profound insights and pure fun. Milo is a boy who is ALWAYS bored. Then, one day he comes home from school to find The Phantom Tollbooth, with directions for assembly, a book of rules, maps, and two coins for the toll. Luckily, Milo also has a driveable toy electric car, so, after the tollbooth is together, he gets in his little car, drops in one of the coins, and off he goes, looking for something that he hopes might not be boring. And so he goes, having fun times, meeting creatures we all know...a dog with a clock for a body (a watch dog, of course), a large bug that brags without reason and claims always to know the answers (a humbug). He goes to a banquet, but has to eat his words, and wishes he had given a shorter and yummier speech. If I started telling you all the delightful word play I would have to eventually copy the entire book. The author does a magnificent job and his love of words is obvious. No phrase is too small to take literally or juggle into new meanings. Yet, even in the happy lands of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis....a city that uses numbers like Dictionopolis uses words...there is a problem. Throughout the entire Empire of Wisdom, there is no Rhyme or Reason, who were exiled. Milo, Tock, the watchdog, and the Humbug, start off to bring Rhyme and Reason back to the Empire of Wisdom. They have, of course, many adventures, but the mission doesn't actually become dangerous until they reach the Mountains of Ignorance, where they are beset by terrible demons: the Everpresent Wordsnatcher, who constantly interrupts, the Terrible Trivium, who wastes time doing unimportant, repetitive tasks, the Senses Taker, who wastes time filling out forms with useless information until the person is too bored to go do something more important, the long-nosed, green-eyed, curly-haired, wide-mouthed, thick-necked, broad-shouldered, round-bodied, short-armed, bowlegged, big-footed monster, who is, of course, none of these things, and is, in real life, the Demon of Insincerity. There are too many demons and monsters to mention here, but everyone is a demon you will recognize from your own life, slowing you down, wasting your time, and trying to confuse you. After a couple of close calls, the three make it to The Castle In The Air and rescue the sisters, bringing Rhyme and Reason back to the Empire of Wisdom. There is much celebration, but Milo, worried that he has been away for so long, gets back in his little car and returns home, where only an hour has passed and the only thing that has changed is Milo, himself, who is no longer bored. It's a marvelous book, quite suitable for children...none of the "demons" are scary to the youngest child, but I honestly don't believe a child can really appreciate the book's play with words, phrases and numbers. You would have to stop and explain a lot. I'd wait until my kid had a good grounding in the English language before I'd give her this book and, if she didn't like it, I'd try again a few years later. But don't forget to read it yourself. This is one of my favorite books of all time, and five stars just aren't enough to rate it with.

The Phantom Tollbooth, written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer, was among my favorite books when I was a child. I recently read it again in preparation for a new writing project. I can't believe I'm giving it 4 and not 5 stars. The Phantom Tollbooth has been (and still is) in my top 10 list of the greatest children's books of all time. Let me tell you why:1. I read it over 40 years ago and still remember the excitement and enjoyment I had reading it as a child. Few books have that kind of “staying” power.2. It is unique. There is no other story like it (that I'm aware of). No vampires, no mummies, no killing and not a single curse word. Imagine that!3. It provides great life lessons for both children and adults without being preachy. I was particularly moved by the demon who gets you to waste time by focusing on small and meaningless tasks.4. The characters are fun and memorable. You will recognize yourself and others in many of them. The sheer number of unique characters is quite impressive. As a children's book writer, I am in awe.So, why 4 stars? The illustrations! They are awful!! I don't care that Maurice Sendak (another top 10 author) proclaims that Jules Feiffer is "that rare artist" who "combines the same insistent reality and uninhibited fantasy in his superb scratchy-itchy pen drawings."Sendak's analysis of Feiffer's work makes me think of the kind of critique a large, blank canvas hung in some art gallery in New York would receive. “Deep and moving in its spareness.” Or some such poppycock. Although I must admit that the drawings are likely considered classic now; so intertwined are they with Tollbooth that replacing them is now unthinkable.Illustrations should complement and enhance the story; I feel that Feiffer's illustrations do neither for Juster's superb story.A key message in Tollbooth is about recognizing and appreciating the beauty around us. Yet, what I consider to be ugly drawings are used to illustrate that lofty message. I am sure that others will vehemently disagree with me. Bring it on! I would particularly love to know what professional artists think of Feiffer's illustrations.Scratchy-itchy drawings aside, The Phantom Tollbooth is truly a must-read for both adults and children.

I’ve read this twice and each time I take incredible life nuggets with me. A beautiful story for all ages.

I urge my prelaw students to read this novel even though they are in college, to learn how to have fun with ideas and words by going outside the box in their thinking and writing.Long ago I also gave it to my eight children and my five grandsons.

This is a most fun book. I read it as an adult and recommend it for all my grandkids.

O produto vem em bom estado . Mas não veio com plástico lacrando , que ajuda à protejer o livro .

...a timeless little book, reduces prejudices in any mind, I would recommend it to EVRYONE, although it's written a lifetime ago for younger teens. A book for the mind, the heart and the soul.A book you will read again, just wait some years...My strong Recommendation - says Mr_E from E.

An easy book to read. It’s very didactic and interesting.

It dont deserves 5 start it deserves infinite stars. I love the book and all the characters in it. I want to read many more books but this is the best forever. I recommend you to read this. Im in 8th Std and I have studies and other many works to do but I get time for this :)