Marisa Reads
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
MarisaMarisa Nayebaziz March 23, 2023

The Phantom Tollbooth is a children’s book about the power of knowledge, imagination, and wonder. Written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer (who, fun fact, were roommates while writing the book), this beloved classic holds the same magic today as it did when it was first published in 1961. It’s one of those books that is a joy to read at any age, but feels especially poignant to read as an adult, similar to A Wrinkle in Time or Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The story begins with our young protagonist Milo feeling utterly dejected; nothing seems to interest him, and everything, especially the pursuit of knowledge, seems like a waste of time. One day, he comes home from school to find a mysterious package in his room — inside is a turnpike tollbooth, complete with instructions, road signs, and a map. When Milo gets in his toy car to give it a go, he’s transported to The Lands Beyond where his grand adventure begins. Here, he’ll meet Tock (a watchdog with the body of a clock) and the Humbug (a posturing, prideful beetle), two friends who help him traverse Dictionopolis to Digitopolis in order to free Rhyme and Reason from captivity. Along the way, Milo comes to realize just how fascinating words, numbers, and ideas can be.

I never read The Phantom Tollbooth as a child, but have always been curious about the book with the unmissable blue cover, so when I saw it on a table at Barnes and Noble I decided to finally give it a read. And oh, how glad I am that I did. The Phantom Tollbooth is whimsical, inventive, and prescient, a love letter to language that sheds light on how to be a person in the world. Juster plays with words in such clever ways — the cast of characters include the Whether Man who can’t make up his mind about anything and Faintly Macabre, the not-so-wicked Which — and, honestly, a lot of the notions might have gone over my head as a child, but reading the book now, they filled me with delight. Through his imaginings, he urges readers to take in the world around us, to look, listen, and think for ourselves. He encourages us to learn not for prestige or out of duty, but for clarity, confidence, and personal enrichment. And although Juster wrote The Phantom Tollbooth before smartphones and current technology, his message rings especially true today. This lovely book made me want to be bored more often if only to go on adventures like Milo’s, and I hope you too allow yourself a few hours to take a trip to The Lands Beyond.

I’d recommend this book to…

􁓔
I only recommend books that I’ve read and loved. When you buy a book through my links, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.
More Reviews
Marisa Reads in Your Inbox
A new book every week
I'm writing about the books I love that I think you'll love too. If you want these reviews delivered, sign up for the newsletter!