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Summary: The childhood favorite that's still with me
Review: After my first reading of 'The Phantom Tollbooth', it became,and still remains, my favorite young reader book. I wrote two book reports on it for my middle school reading classes. I even received a copy of it as a tenth birthday present. Ever since, I've read it from cover to cover at least once a year.As a child, I enjoyed reading the strange adventures of a bored Milo embarking on his legendary quest. As an adult, I enjoy the tome's play on words, such as the Whether man ("It's more important to know whether there will be weather, rather than what the weather will be") and the Isle of Conclusions, a place you have to jump to to get there. I also love the book's personifying such abstract concepts as statistics, like the (literally) half a child that Milo meets who's the end result of the average family having 2.58 children. It also has neat takes on people's points of view, like the boy who grows down, rather than up. Needless to say, it's pretty apparent that even though I loved this book as a kid, I appreciate it much more as an adult. If you remember reading this as a child, I strongly recommend you give it a look again. You'll likely pick up on quite a few things in the story that you might not have gotten the gist of in your youth! 'Late
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Summary: Delightful Play on Language
Review: Juster has performed a marvelous job in introducing young readers to the importance of being oneself. By exploring a wonder-filled world (that would make a fine movie!), he plays on words and phrases to make visual concepts that most of us, young and old alike, would normally ignore. The characters, and the overall "stage" on which they perform for Milo, make the book hard to put down. As an aspiring writer for children, I applaud Juster and intend to introduce as many of my family members and friends to him and this delightful book.
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Summary: Lots of fun!
Review: Norton Juster never seems to stop coming up with new, fun ways to keep his audience's undivided attention! His description is excellent and Milo is a very realistic boy. A must for anybody aged 6 and up looking for a humorous, entertaining read!
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Summary: There's more to it.
Review: In this book is a great journey you won't want to miss, especially if you're one of those who likes to bug others with your, "I'm bored" whining. I know, it does sound like any other fantasy book (I mean, a boy going through a tollbooth into another world is almost synonamous with the girl who goes through a mirror and down a rabbit hole into another world) But the world he's in is unlike any other. There is a lesson to be learnt (but that dosen't make it boring) from every incident and place Milo goes, and the people he meet are really funny and foolish. The book only gets better as Milo decides to rescue Rhyme and Reason from the castle in the air in a marvelous journey that will prove to serve just as rewarding for Milo as it is for the people of the magical kingdom. Norton Juster teaches us to love the world we live in without taking it all for granted and ending up bored. Will definately change the way you see the world. (Gosh, that sounded cheezy)
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Summary: Completely WONDERFUL
Review: This is one of the few books that I think every child should read. This book does much to make reading a magical part of a child's life. To this day it still has some of my favorite quotes. When Milo asks how the car runs without an engine, he is quieted, for "It goes without saying..." Milo tells someone he isn't making any sense and is told "If you want sense, you'll have to make it yourself." This is the perfect gift for the young person in your life, and a wonderful gift for you when you read it to them.
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Summary: A Big Surprise
Review: My Grandma gave me this book on my 11th birthday. At first I thouhgt it looked stupid, judging by the cover and the title, but I read it anyway. I found out that you really can't judge a book by its cover. This is a great book that makes you look at simple things a whole lot differently. It also is fairly educational with words and numbers. This was definately a big surprise.
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Summary: An Award-Worthy Book
Review: The Phantom Tollbooth is a book that takes you on a trip through a world of imagination. The story takes you from a bedroom to a strange world and back again.It is filled with play on words,explanations for things like day and night, and events dealing with perspective. I loved the play on words in the book. For example, Milo meets a whether man who, instead of predicting the weather, predicts WHETHER or not there will be weather. It may sound complicated, but Mr. Juster explains all events and places so that you can understand. Everytime I step into a library or bookstore, I wonder if I will ever find such a creative and imaginative book as The Phantom Tollbooth, and so far, I haven't. The Phantom Tollbooth is a one of a kind story.
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Summary: I love this book...
Review: This is an excellent read for all ages. Milo's adventures with jumping to Conclusions, eating his words and roaming around with the ticking dog Tock, are pure fun. Everyone can relate to the seemingly depthless boredom that Milo feels and the subsequent journey for entertainment. One thing's for sure, you won't be bored when reading this book!
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Summary: An enjoyable classic of great originality.
Review: I first had this book read to me by my third grade teacher, and begged my mother to buy it for me soon thereafter, that I might read it for myself. It was my first "favorite book" (for all those what-are-your-favorite-book questions), and it continues to be a treasured classic on my shelf. The story follows the journey of Milo, a boy bored of basically everything around him. One day he receives a mysterious package that turns out to be a tollbooth. For lack of anything better to do, he puts it together and begins to play, only to find himself driving in an entirely different world. There he meets all sort of curious creatures, from a giant watchdog (literally, a dog whose body is a watch) and a humbug the size of a person. Juster plays with words as if they were tangible objects to juggle, and continually surprises the reader by turning ordinary events into magical occurrences. This book very much exemplifies the quote (and I apologize for not naming the speaker, who slips my mind at this moment) "The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to get sharper." Although Norton Juster's tale will probably never receive as much wild acclaim as the Harry Potter series, The Phantom Tollbooth nevertheless exhibits its own quiet charm. It is full of original characters and entertaining events, and I heartily recommend it for any child, or adult for that matter, who would like to be amused for a few hours on a rainy afternoon - especially if you think there's nothing to do! It is a wonderful book to read to a child, and the simple black and white drawings scattered throughout the text belie the vivid pictures that Juster paints with his words.
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Summary: Captures every facet of the imaginiation.....
Review: I read the Phantom Tollbooth when I was 12 years old. Since then, i have read it roughly ten more times. I am 19 now, and i have read all the fantasy books prescribed (Tolkien, Dahl, Rawlings) and have listened to everyone sing their infinite praise; however, when i debate over the best fantasy book, i can decide on none other than The Phantom Tollbooth. Juster brings characters of such important and amusing nature to life and intertwines them in a land so creatively manifested as to take the reader away into his new, amazing world. Parents, please get your kids this book: it is one of the reasons i continue to be such an avid reader today. The content of the Phantom Tollbooth should be the goal of every author - a pure mastering of a genre.
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