3 Things:

Whimsical and imaginative read.

Enjoyable for both adults and young readers.

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A creative variety of settings.

Some novels simply desire to be read out loud. The Phantom Tollbooth is one of those, with lovely words, beautiful imagery, and quirky drawings (by Jules Feiffer) throughout the entirety of the book. Milo, the main character, appears to be bored with everything, a relatable problem for many these days, it seems. But, after heading home, Milo finds a mysterious package containing a build-your-own tollbooth inside his room and begins his journey to explore new worlds that he never dreamed of.

The wording causes confusion from time to time because of the complexity the author establishes. The variety in the settings provide a change from the average fantasy book, with environments such as “The Island of Confusion” that you can get to by jumping and other exciting places in what is known as “The Land Beyond.”

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Taking the typical hero’s journey, Milo and a few of his friends go on a quest together to break up a long-lasting grudge between two kings and return Rhyme and Reason to the kingdoms. The Phantom Tollbooth provides readers with a challenging read for kids and an entertaining read for adults.

Milo may seem flat in comparison to side characters and others that he meets. Accompanied by Tock, a literal watchdog with a clock in his body, and the Humbug, who happens to be a life-sized bug with a consistent bad mood, the cast is large and entertaining. Other characters we meet in passing include a character that floats and grows toward the ground, a Spelling Bee, and a charming man known as the Mathemagician, whose magical powers are activated by mathematical equations.

Overall, the lessons throughout the plot, despite the odd presentation, reinforce many positive characteristics. Lessons include the value of friendships, the importance of determination, and appreciation for both the unique and everyday. By making friends with Tock and other characters in the novel, Milo learns the importance and value of having people (and animals) to support him and bring new ideas to the table. Determination gives Milo the ability to continue his journey, despite many stops and hazards along the way. He learns to appreciate living his normal life back at home because of the time he spent discovering things in the Land Beyond.

The Phantom Tollbooth was adapted into an animated movie form in the 1970s and a musical adaptation

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premiered in 2007. Norton Juster’s other works consist of a variety of young adult, children’s, and adult fiction, a few of which are The Dot and the Line:  A Romance in Lower Mathematics, The Hello, Goodbye Window, and Neville, the last two being children’s books. Overall, I found the book incredibly pleasing, and I enjoyed reading through it now as a teenager versus reading it during my fourth grade reading groups, but both times proved incredibly fun.

The novel can be purchased online here.

This author can be reached on Twitter: @julz_lozano

For my last book review, read Wonder.