Search results
Milo, a very bored little boy, receives an unusual package one day: a make- believe tollbooth. When he drives through it in his electric toy car, he is suddenly transported to the Lands Beyond, a fantastic world of imagination. On his way to Dictionopolis, one of the country's two capitals, he meets Tock, the watchdog who joins him on his journey.
- Quick Quiz
SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year...
- Quick Quiz
Full Title: The Phantom Tollbooth. When Written: 1960. Where Written: New York. When Published: 1961. Literary Period: 20th century children’s literature boom. Genre: Children’s Novel, Nonsense Literature. Setting: Milo’s bedroom and the Lands Beyond. Climax: Milo, Tock, and the Humbug rescue the princesses Rhyme and Reason.
e paper and several basic shapes cut out of colored paper. Ask the students to lay the shapes on the paper in different combinations to create pictures (for example, a half circle under a triangle to creat. a sail boat, a triangle over a square to create a house). When the group is ha.
- 3MB
- 24
Suddenly, Milo is driving along a beautiful country road. First, he comes to a sign that instructs him to honk for advice. When he honks, a man introduces himself as the Whether Man and welcomes Milo to Expectations. Confused by the Whether Man’s odd behavior, Milo drives on. But soon after, Milo starts to daydream.
- Milo
- MILO, WHO HAS PLENTY OF TIME."
- "THIS PACKAGE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
- SLOW DOWN APPROACHING TOLLBOOTH PLEASE HAVE YOUR FARE READY HAVE YOUR DESTINATION IN MIND
- 2. Beyond Expectations
- "HERE HE COMES!" "THE WATCHDOG!"
- 3. Welcome to Dictionopolis
- WELCOME TO THE WORD MARKET
- 4. Confusion in the Market Place
- 5. Short Shrift
- Brevity is the Soul of Wit.
- Speak Fitly or be Silent Wisely.
- Silence is Golden.
- 6. Faintly Macabre's Story
- 7. The Royal Banquet
- "KING AZAZ THE UNABRIDGED."
- "NIGHT AIR IS BAD AIR."
- 8. The Humbug Volunteers
- 9. It's All in How You Look at Things
- THIS IS THE SCENIC ROUTE: STRAIGHT AHEAD TO POINT OF VIEW
- 10. A Colorful Symphony
- DYNNE.
- 12. The Silent Valley
- HEAR HERE
- LISTEN LOOK CAREFULLY AND WE WILL TELL YOU OF OUR TERRIBLE MISFORTUNE
- A small man, with his arms full of letters and messages, pushed through the crowd and offered them to Milo. Milo took one which read:
- BAND CONCERT GREAT SUCCESS STOP WHEN MAY WE EXPECT THE MUSIC STOP
- 13. Unfortunate Conclusions
- 14. The Dodecahedron Leads the Way
- AND THEN SOME
- 15. This Way to Infinity
- 16. A Very Dirty Bird
- "AND ALL BECAUSE OF THAT STUBBORN WRETCH AZAZ," roared the
- 17. Unwelcoming Committee
- 18. Castle in the Air
- 19. The Return of Rhyme and Reason
- "Henceforth," "And forthwith," "Let it be known by all men" "That Rhyme and Reason" "Reign once more in Wisdom."
- 20. Good-by and Hello
- He opened it quickly and read:
There was once a boy named Milo who didn't know what to do with himself— not just sometimes, but always. When he was in school he longed to be out, and when he was out he longed to be in. On the way he thought about coming home, and coming home he thought about going. Wherever he was he wished he were somewhere else, and when he got there he wonder...
Of course, if you've ever gotten a surprise package, you can imagine how puzzled and excited Milo was; and if you've never gotten one, pay close attention, because someday you might. "I don't think it's my birthday," he puzzled, "and Christmas must be months away, and I haven't been outstandingly good, or even good at all." (He had to admit this ev...
"One (1) genuine turnpike tollbooth to be erected according to directions. "Three (3) precautionary signs to be used in a precautionary fashion. "Assorted coins for use in paying tolls. "One (1) map, up to date and carefully drawn by master cartographers, depicting natural and man-made features. "One (1) book of rules and traffic regulations, which...
and slowly unfolded the map. As the announcement stated, it was a beautiful map, in many colors, showing principal roads, rivers and seas, towns and cities, mountains and valleys, intersections and detours, and sites of outstanding interest both beautiful and historic. The only trouble was that Milo had never heard of any of the places it indicated...
Suddenly he found himself speeding along an unfamiliar country highway, and as he looked back over his shoulder neither the tollbooth nor his room nor even the house was anywhere in sight. What had started as make-believe was now very real. "What a strange thing to have happen," he thought (just as you must be thinking right now). "This game is muc...
Great shouts filled the air as the Lethargarians scattered in all directions and soon disappeared entirely. "R-R-R-G-H-R-O-R-R-H-F-F," exclaimed the watchdog as he dashed up to the car, loudly puffing and panting. Milo's eyes opened wide, for there in front of him was a large dog with a perfectly normal head, four feet, and a tail—and the body of a...
"You must excuse my gruff conduct," the watchdog said, after they'd been driving for some time, "but you see it's traditional for watchdogs to be ferocious..." Milo was so relieved at having escaped the Doldrums that he assured the dog that he bore him no ill will and, in fact, was very grateful for the assistance. "Splendid," shouted the watchdog....
And, from across the square, five very tall, thin gentlemen regally dressed in silks and satins, plumed hats, and buckled shoes rushed up to the car, stopped short, mopped five brows, caught five breaths, unrolled five parchments, and began talking in turn. "Greetings!" "Salutations!" "Welcome!" "Good Afternoon!" "Hello!" Milo nodded his head, and ...
Indeed it was, for as they approached, Milo could see crowds of people pushing and shouting their way among the stalls, buying and selling, trading and bargaining. Huge wooden-wheeled carts streamed into the market square from the orchards, and long caravans bound for the four corners of the kingdom made ready to leave. Sacks and boxes were piled h...
"Done what you've looked," angrily shouted one of the salesmen. He meant to say "Look what you've done," but the words had gotten so hopelessly mixed up that no one could make any sense at all. "Do going to we what are!" complained another, as everyone set about straightening things up as well as they could. For several minutes no one spoke an unde...
"But power corrupts, and soon I grew miserly and chose fewer and fewer words, trying to keep as many as possible for myself. I had new signs posted which said: An Ill-chosen Word is the Fool's Messenger. "Soon sales began to fall off in the market. The people were afraid to buy as many words as before, and hard times came to the kingdom. But still ...
"And finally I had even these replaced by ones which read simply:
"All talk stopped. No words were sold, the market place closed down, and the people grew poor and disconsolate. When the king saw what had happened, he became furious and had me cast into this dungeon where you see me now, an older and wiser woman. "That was all many years ago," she continued; "but they never appointed a new Which, and that explain...
"Once upon a time, this land was a barren and frightening wilderness whose high rocky mountains sheltered the evil winds and whose barren valleys offered hospitality to no man. Few things grew, and those that did were bent and twisted and their fruit was as bitter as wormwood. What wasn't waste was desert, and what wasn't desert was rock, and the d...
"Right this way." "Follow us." "Come along." "Step lively." "Here we go," they shouted, hopping from the wagon and bounding up the broad marble stairway. Milo and Tock followed close behind. It was a strange-looking palace, and if he didn't know better he would have said that it looked exactly like an enormous book, standing on end, with its front ...
The king strode through the door and over to the table and settled his great bulk onto the throne, calling irritably, "Places, everyone. Take your places." He was the largest man Milo had ever seen, with a great stomach, large piercing eyes, a gray beard that reached to his waist, and a silver signet ring on the little finger of his left hand. He a...
"I wouldn't eat too many of those if I were you," advised Tock. "They may look good, but you can get terribly sick of them." "Don't worry," Milo replied; "I'll just wrap one up for later," and he folded his napkin around "EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR THE BEST."
"Couldn't eat another thing," puffed the duke, clutching his stomach. "Oh my, oh dear," agreed the minister, breathing with great difficulty. "M-m-m-m-f-f-m-m," mumbled the earl, desperately trying to swallow another mouthful. "Thoroughly stuffed," sighed the count, loosening his belt. "Full up," grunted the undersecretary, reaching for the last ca...
Soon all traces of Dictionopolis had vanished in the distance and all those strange and unknown lands that lay between the kingdom of words and the kingdom of numbers stretched before them. It was late afternoon and the dark-orange sun floated heavily over the distant mountains. A friendly, cool breeze slapped playfully at the car, and the long sha...
announced a rather large road sign; but, contrary to its statement, all that could be seen were more trees. As the car rushed along, the trees grew thicker and taller and leafier until, just as they'd hidden the sky completely, the forest abruptly ended and the road bent itself around a broad promontory. Stretching below, to the left, the right, an...
As they ran, tall trees closed in around them and arched gracefully toward the sky. The late-afternoon sunlight leaped lightly from leaf to leaf, slid along • branches and down trunks, and dropped finally to the ground in warm, luminous patches. A soft glow filled the air with the kind of light that made everything look sharp and clear and close en...
"It's true," agreed Dr. Dischord. "But he's right, you know, for noise is the most valuable thing in the world." "King Azaz says words are," said Milo. "NONSENSE," the doctor roared. "Why, when a baby wants food, how does he ask?" "He screams!" answered the DYNNE, looking up happily. "And when an automobile wants gas?" "It chokes!" he shouted again...
"How agreeable and pleasant this valley is," thought Milo as once again they bounced along the highway, with the Humbug humming snatches of old songs, to his own vast amusement, and Tock sniffing contentedly at the wind. "I really can't see what Dr. Dischord was so concerned about; there certainly couldn't be anything unpleasant along this road." A...
Except for these, and the big brass cannon being pulled along behind, they all looked very much like the residents of any other small valley to which you've never been. When the car had stopped, one of them held up a placard which said: "WELCOME TO THE VALLEY OF SOUND." And the others cheered as loudly as possible, which was not very loud at all. "...
And while two of them held up a large blackboard, a third, writing as fast as he could, explained why there was nothing but quiet in the Valley of Sound. "At a place in the valley not far from here," he began, "where the echoes used to gather and the winds came to rest, there is a great stone fortress, and in it lives the Soundkeeper, who rules thi...
Dear Soundkeeper, We had a thunderstorm last week and the thunder still hasn't arrived. How long should we wait? Yours truly, A friend. Then he took a telegram which stated:
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth. We trust that everything has been satisfactory, and hope you understand why we had to come and collect it. You see, there are so many other boys and girls waiting to use it, too. It's true that there are many lands you've still to visit (some of which are not even on th...
droom.CHARACTER LISTMilo—The main character, Milo is a little boy who goes through all of his days in a stat. of horrible boredom. This routine changes when Milo takes a trip through the mysterious make-believe tollbooth that appears i. his bedroom one day.Tock—Milo’s friend Tock is a l.
People also ask
How is the Phantom Tollbooth written?
Why is the Phantom Tollbooth a good book?
How does Milo feel about the tollbooth?
How does Tollbooth portray the modern world?
Juster's book addresses a current problem in society: children and young adults who simply do not want to learn. It is one thing for adults to lecture them on the importance of getting an ...
