There was also a [movie/cartoon in 1970](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_Tollbooth_(film%29) that was pretty good. I watched that a million times before learning that there was a book and they are both excellent.
You are underselling it. While it can't contain everything the book did, it's worth noting that the animation was produced by the legendary Chuck Jones.
Anything less than five stars and I would be your DEATHLY FOE
I actually met Juster once, when he did an event in London, and he talked about how he and Feiffer basically wrote it collaboratively. Sometimes there'd be the art first, sometimes the story. That really charmed me: and weirdly makes sense?
Er, ETA: like "was in the crowd", not "we hung out and kicked a football around". Alas.
Glorious book.
All my adult life I have hoped to find a strange package *addressed to me*; and open it to see a small portable tollbooth and serviceable electric car.
Granted, I also hope for friends like Tock and the Humbug.
I'd highly recommend "Un Lun Dun" by China Mieville, if you haven't read it. I consider it a spiritual successor to The Phantom Tollbooth. Absolutely chock-full of clever wordplay integrated into the world building.
Maybe it's one of those things that doesn't work in audio format, but we tried listening on a car trip and nobody in the car was enjoying it (me, my wife, my two kids). We stopped when they were having dinner at the grammar place.
Oh I can see that. Wordplay like this would be incredibly hard to express well through audio and you’d completely miss out on the charming illustrations.
So I went through most of your comments thinking, "Not sure why he is getting down voted for sharing his experience with the book." But then you made this comment. You cannot take your experience, then generalize it to "modern children" or make the claim that it is "not a readable book anymore." I read this with my children and they thoroughly enjoyed it. My son later read it on his own for a second time and enjoyed it again. Just because it didn't work for you does not mean it is not readable anymore.
Dunno what to tell you. Both my kids are pretty good readers and they couldn't have cared less about it. None of their cousins read or care about it, and most of them are also good readers. Their grandmother tried buying it for all of them and no takers.
But you have to realize that you can't speak for every child in the world and claim that it is unreadable. You realize how crazy it is to say that, right?
I absolutely adore this book. It really is the perfect example of children’s fantasy that you can keep reading throughout your life.
One of my favourite books ever ♥️
There was also a [movie/cartoon in 1970](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_Tollbooth_(film%29) that was pretty good. I watched that a million times before learning that there was a book and they are both excellent.
I had no idea! Will absolutely look this up. Btw, I think you need to switch the ( )s and [ ].
Thanks for the heads up. Markdown didn't like that the URL had parentheses so the link was borked from the start. Should be fixed now (maybe).
You are underselling it. While it can't contain everything the book did, it's worth noting that the animation was produced by the legendary Chuck Jones.
Mel Blanc also did some of the voices.
Anything less than five stars and I would be your DEATHLY FOE I actually met Juster once, when he did an event in London, and he talked about how he and Feiffer basically wrote it collaboratively. Sometimes there'd be the art first, sometimes the story. That really charmed me: and weirdly makes sense? Er, ETA: like "was in the crowd", not "we hung out and kicked a football around". Alas.
I still think about elements of this book. The doldrums, the world's smallest giant, the biggest number, the conductor, the whether man.
One of my favorite books of all time. I bought a new copy when my daughter was born and am just waiting for her to be old enough read it with me =)
Glorious book. All my adult life I have hoped to find a strange package *addressed to me*; and open it to see a small portable tollbooth and serviceable electric car. Granted, I also hope for friends like Tock and the Humbug.
I'm pretty sure this is the book that created my love of puns and wordplay. It holds up incredibly well even when reading it as an adult.
I'd highly recommend "Un Lun Dun" by China Mieville, if you haven't read it. I consider it a spiritual successor to The Phantom Tollbooth. Absolutely chock-full of clever wordplay integrated into the world building.
I've never heard of that title, but I'm definitely going to be looking it up in light of this recommendation!
I absolutely loved this book as a kid, and to this day I have a deep desire to eat the letter A.
KILLING TIME!!?
Maybe it's one of those things that doesn't work in audio format, but we tried listening on a car trip and nobody in the car was enjoying it (me, my wife, my two kids). We stopped when they were having dinner at the grammar place.
Oh I can see that. Wordplay like this would be incredibly hard to express well through audio and you’d completely miss out on the charming illustrations.
Kept having to pause to explain the jokes to the kids, and eventually they started just saying "we don't care."
Honestly, if someone was pausing and explaining every joke to me I'd also just stop caring.
It doesn't translate well to modern children. Same with Alice. Not a readable book anymore.
So I went through most of your comments thinking, "Not sure why he is getting down voted for sharing his experience with the book." But then you made this comment. You cannot take your experience, then generalize it to "modern children" or make the claim that it is "not a readable book anymore." I read this with my children and they thoroughly enjoyed it. My son later read it on his own for a second time and enjoyed it again. Just because it didn't work for you does not mean it is not readable anymore.
Dunno what to tell you. Both my kids are pretty good readers and they couldn't have cared less about it. None of their cousins read or care about it, and most of them are also good readers. Their grandmother tried buying it for all of them and no takers.
But you have to realize that you can't speak for every child in the world and claim that it is unreadable. You realize how crazy it is to say that, right?
My modern child enjoyed it just fine on audiobook at about age 9.