I love "Alice in Wonderland." It is one of my favorite books. I found "The Phantom Tollbooth" to be in a similar category as "Alice in Wonderland." One of the things I particularly liked about "The Phantom Tollbooth" in contrast to "Alice in Wonderland" was the sense of purpose in Milo's journey. Alice's only quest was to find The White Rabbit, which leads to a sort of senseless adventure, whereas Milo sets out to save the Princesses Rhyme and Reason - learning all sorts of things along the way. By the end of his journey, Milo has a new appreciation for things he used to not care about...numbers, words, sounds, etc. Milo's journey helps him (and us) to find the beauty in everything, particularly the small things. It showed him (and us) just how much time we waste everyday doing nothing. I loved at the end of the book when he realized he had been gone for only an hour and it says how he had never realized how much he could do in such a short time. And on top of that, when it said he would like to go back, but he was too busy with all the things to do and see and hear right in his own world.
The quirky characters in this book were so fun and likable. I felt instantly connected with Tock and grew very fond of the HumBug. I was very impressed with the creativity of Juster in coming up with all the characters; people who grow down instead of up, the terrible Dynne, the orchestra that plays the colors...the eccentric mix of people really made this book enjoyable.
Juster's use of words was also very impressive - and very entertaining. One example that comes immediately to mind is the Which/Witch. The play on words in this book was very clever.
I think this book is an excellent read for people of all ages. It has that fun, whimsical feel of "Alice in Wonderland" for children but is also equipped with plenty humor for the educated adult. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
What did you think?
When I first started the book I thought, "This is really weird. I'm not sure if I will like this or not." It's not my new favorite or anything, but this book definitely grew on me. The author was very clever and I like that there was a "point" to the adventure Milo had.
ReplyDeleteI also thought the play on words was fun but I had one question that kept bothering me. When someone is speaking "which" or "witch" how do you tell the difference? How did Milo recognize that who he thought was a witch turned out to be a which just by having her correct him out loud. I saw the difference in the words, I'm not sure I'd hear it.
Fun book though! I'm glad I read it. ;)
I keep wanting to add to the discussion, but I always seem to be nursing my baby whenever I'm near a computer. But.... I am finally able to type with both hands! I have read this book several times, starting when I was a child. Although I always enjoyed it as a kid, it wasn't until I re-read it years later as a teenager that I realized how delightfully funny the book is. Great choice for book club!
ReplyDeleteTenika, as far as "which" and "witch," many people pronounce those two words differently. You seldom hear one of us "Utahns" pronouncing them differently, so it is confusing for us to read it out loud. :)
Thinking about it now, I think I can tell the difference. I don't do it, but I know some people pronounce the "h".
ReplyDeleteThis book is great! Fun and whimsical for children but a wealth of wisdom and knowledge too. How fun would this be to read with your children before school starts. Each year they would gain more wisdom and realize the value of education, the joy in the journey and that they can do anything. I wish I'd read it as a kid so that I could have started this tradition with my own children.
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