The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

If it weren't for my aunt and uncle, I would've never read this book or even known about it. Out of the set of four they gave me for my birthday when I was a kid, this book was my favorite. It still remains quite a unique story in it's own right.

"It tells the story of a bored young boy named Milo who unexpectedly receives a magic tollbooth one afternoon and, having nothing better to do, decides to drive through it in his toy car. The tollbooth transports him to a land called the Kingdom of Wisdom. There he acquires two faithful companions, has many adventures, and goes on a quest to rescue the princesses of the kingdom, Princess Rhyme and Princess Reason. The text is full of puns, and many events, such as Milo's jump to the Island of Conclusions, exemplify literal meanings of English language idioms." - Wikipedia  


- When I said this book was unique, I literally meant it. Recently I read it as part of my reading goal for the summer. I forgot just how odd this book was. The language is actually quite complex for a child's book and most likely meant for more advanced readers. Being a bookworm as a kid, it wasn't complex, but I'm sure it was difficult considering a few words and descriptions threw me off when I read it recently.
I loved how this book makes you think, not about the plot, but how you could view the world. It's similar to Alice in Wonderland, twisting the way you perceive the world and allowing for alternate perspectives to be suggested. However it does lead away from part of the plot. I ended up forgetting why Milo was travelling and only remembered when it was mentioned throughout the story. Overall I enjoyed this book as it reminded me of my childhood and the sort of wild imagination I had as a kid. The world is full of wonders, yet we tend to forget that as we grow older. We all need a little push to remember how intriguing the world is.