The Phantom Tollbooth

This book is absolutely amazing. And, it keeps getting better every time I read it. I think that this book is so good for little kids to read! Norton Juster basically writes about questions that no one in a million years would ever ask, but is always in the back of their heads. As I was re-reading this book, I kind of realized that the whole thing is like a big game of make believe. For example, the two kings are just like little kids – refusing to do something if the other one wants to do it to, always getting into fights. It’s books like these that let us remember what it’s like to be a kid.

This book also got me thinking that Milo is on a very specific journey. Yeah, of course his journey is to find Rhyme and Reason, but the journey I’m talking about is an emotional journey of sorts. I’ve noticed, throughout the book, all the characters are sending Milo these almost hidden messages. What I mean is, they are all trying to tell Milo that life isn’t really all that bad. You have to look for all the beautiful and crazy things to realize that life is like an adventure. And, overtime, Milo changes a lot! He gets a lot of courage in himself and goes on the journey of a lifetime.

Everything in this book makes no sense at all! But, now that I am older I’m starting to realize that everything does make sense…you just have to dig a little deeper. In some ways this book reminds me of Dr. Suess’s books. Dr. Suess writes a lot about issues in society and in the Phantom Tollbooth Norton Juster does that as well. For example, when the people are rioting for there right to have sound, it reminded me a lot of how people protest today, to get the things that they really care about. All in all, it’s all about dedication to what you believe in and how you want to portray it in you writing, to let other people get the message.