Title:

The Phantom Tollbooth

Author:

Norton Juster

Category:

Fiction

Rating:

Date Reviewed:

August 22, 2024

ome books are ideal for young readers - they tell terrific stories and instill in the reader a love of books, such that they then continue reading throughout their life. For myself, I can recall reading The Hobbit, A Wizard of Earthsea, The Chronicles of Prydain, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and Watership Down, and just loving those stories. Years later, I have returned to those stories, wondering if the tales they told would be just as entertaining to myself with an adult perspective. The answer is universally yes, all of those books are still enjoyable years later. The Phantom Tollbooth is another great book to give to young readers - and after this reread, I can now attest to the fact that more mature readers will enjoy the story as well. First published in 1961, its charms are still appreciable today.

The Phantom Tollbooth delights in wordplay. Here is my favorite joke that I have always remembered:

"Oh dear, all those words again," thought Milo as he climbed into the wagon with Tock and the cabinet members. "How are you going to make it move? I doesn't have a ---"

"Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without saying."

And, sure enough, as soon as they were all quite still, it began to move quickly through the streets, and in a very short time they arrived at the royal palace.

Juster clearly enjoyed taking idioms literally. At one point Milo must eat his words. The Island of Conclusions can only be reached by leaping. He meets a boy who is only 0.58 there (the boy explains that the average family has 2.58 children - he has two siblings, and he is the .58. Milo meets another boy who floats in midair - rather than growing up, like Milo does, this boy grows down, only when he reaches adulthood will his feet touch the ground. Milo's companion on his adventures is Tock, who is literally a watch dog (Tock has a giant clock in his midsection). At one point, Milo and Tock encounter a very short policeman named Shrift:

"And illegal barking," he added, frowning at the watchdog. "It is against the law to bark without using the barking meter. Are you ready to be sentenced?"

"Only a judge can sentence you," said Milo, who remembered reading that in one of his schoolbooks.

"Good point," replied the policeman, taking of his cap and putting on a long black robe. "I am also the judge. Now, would you like a long or short sentence?"

"A short one, if you please," said Milo.

"Good," said the judge, rapping his gavel three times."I always have trouble remembering the long ones. How about 'I am'? That's the shortest sentence I know."

There is a plot to this story, though mostly it is a frame for Juster to engage in wordplay. Milo is a bored, bored, bored student. Nothing is of interest to him. He comes home from school one day to find a mysterious large package addressed to him. Opening the package, he discovers a tollbooth. Milo gets in his toy car and rolls up to pay the toll - and is transported to a magical land that is dominated by two royal cities - Dictionopolis (under the reign of King Azasz, who's citizens feast on words) and Digitopolis (ruled by the Mathemagician, whose citizens are equally enamored with numbers). Unfortunately, there is strife between the two kingdoms, and has been ever since the two sensible princesses, Rhyme and Reason, were locked away in the Castle of Air. Naturally, it falls upon Milo and Tock to rescue the two princesses and bring harmony back to the two cities. Unfortunately, no one can reach the Castle of Air because it lies beyond the Mountains of Ignorance, which are populated with dangerous demons. Milo and Tock, joined by the Humbug, set forth on their quest.

Since it is a childrens book, The Phantom Tollbooth is a quick read. I assume that young minds will be delighted by the jokes and wordplay as I once was, and they will also become absorbed in Milo's quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason. If you have youngsters looking for something to read, I suggest giving them a copy of this book (and then read it yourself when they have gone to sleep!)