Everybody loves THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH. It is many of my friends’ absolute all-time favorite kids book. I know I read it as a kid. I know I didn’t like it. I know I didn’t read it again. And that’s all I remember, and somehow even though everyone was always saying how much they loved it, I never picked it up again until now. Anyway, that’s the back story.
My feeling on recent reading is this: good book, but I totally can see why it hit wrong with me as a kid. Because the number one adjective I want to use for THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH is clever. Its incredibly clever. Its witty. The wordplay and puns are great, and I’m sure I would have picked up on them and enjoyed them back then as well.* But clever and witty alone does not a great book make. And that I think is my problem with this one. I did enjoy it. But I wasn’t really engrossed at all – there’s very little character-building, the characters are all kind of purposefully caricatures, and even when feelings or reactions by people were described, they were just kind of stated very matter of fact. I never actually found myself identifying with anyone. And while the constant humor kept the story from feeling like there was too much moralizing, it was nevertheless very clear that at each place, and with each character, a not-so-subtle point was being made about modern life, the way people behave, etc; to the point where those points felt in and of themselves to be the purpose of the story. Again, not something that really draws you (or at least me) in.
My other issue was that even plot-wise, the story kind of reads like a litany of “and then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened.” Not much variety in pacing, and no time spent once the “point” of each episode had taken place – just “ok, that happened, next.” I’m being a little more negative than I really felt while I was reading the book – I really did enjoy it. But I can also totally see how as a kid I would have gotten bored. Puns are funny. A few pages or even a few chapters of clever wordplay and obvious-but-still-fun set-ups are fun. But a whole book of that and nothing else just isn’t enough.
Actually, now that I’m writing this and thinking it through further, I feel like a lot of the pieces of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH would make for great picture books – short, clever, funny stories, with imaginative premises, and a lot of great illustrations already included. But a whole series of those just strung together one after another doesn’t quite do it for me. And that’s why I can’t summon the love of this book that so many folks have (although I’m glad that I now see why they do love it. Especially as so many of my friends are language-loving types), and why I probably read it once, was kind of amused and kind of bored, and was left without a strong enough impression to lead me to pick it up again.
*I was raised in a very pun-filled household. In my family, birthdays and other card-giving occasions are basically a standing competition to see who can find the card with the best pun or bad joke. There have been some real prize finds over the years.
Posted in Books I felt I ought to have liked but really didn't, Childhood Reading, Feiffer, Jules, Flawed does not preclude Interesting, Juster, Norton, Phantom Tollbooth, The
I liked it when I first read it, but haven’t felt compelled to go back as I have with others. It’s kind of more, oh yeah I remember that. Not like, “Must reread every year or so,” like with Harriet the Spy or Madeleine L’Engle or others.
I totally get where you are coming from. It is clever, but the story itself leaves much to be desired.
You know, I get what you’re saying, but I think… clever is really enough for me. At least, if it’s clever enough. The worst is books that think they don’t have to do much else because they’re clever, but they really aren’t so much. But yeah, I loved the Phantom Tollbooth, and suspect I still would. (I read it many times as a child, but certainly not in the last decade.)
Also, don’t you like the name Milo?
Great post Emily. You’ve inspired me to pen a similar post on my blog!
I’m with you. The librarian at my elementary school was always pushing this book and everyone else seemed to love it, but I hated the thing. Your review totally summed up my feelings.
I love The Phantom Tollbooth, I’ve read it four times in my adult life — including once out loud to my sons and once to record it.
Still, different strokes and all that …
If it helps, I’m a science fiction geek who thinks that Dune is agonizingly tedious. This brings much disdain from friends of mine, who insist that if I’d read it again I’d see how brilliant it is.
Let’s just say … no.
I’m not sure if I read it as a kid, but I read it as an adult and didn’t love it. Clever is the perfect word for it!
Its so nice to find kindred spirits on this one – thanks guys. Elizabeth, I’m pretty sure you would still love this book now – I can see you just enjoying each funny bit and insisting on reading something aloud every couple of pages. Hmm, perhaps when you do pick it up again it would be best if you were in a room by yourself.
Rhiannon, I’m flattered! Going over to read your post now.
Dude, I don’t read things out loud to people! I live with someone who does, and it drives me nuts.
This is why I love our Wednesday Words: you can share the good bits without driving everyone around you to want to invest in better headphones and a white noise machine.
Emily, sometimes I do that. But only if it’s REALLY funny. In general, I sympathize–I hate being read to for the most part. I can’t do audio cassettes…for me reading is all about looking at the words. I always unconsciously tune out whenever anyone has read to me…teachers in elementary school, boyfriends who wanted to read the entire Lord of the Rings…etc.
Hm, maybe that would make a good blog posting. Reading vs. listening.