The Phantom Tollbooth - Alamance-Burlington School …

1 The PhantomTollboothNORTON JUSTERI llustrated by Jules FeifferTo Andy and Kenny,who waited so Books are published by Random House, Inc. First Wind-ward Silverback Edition, October 1972. Originally published by Ep-stein & Carroll Associates, Inc., in 1961 and subsequently publishedby Random House, Inc., in Copyright 1961 by Norton JusterIllustrations Copyright 1961 by Jules FeifferAll rights reserved under International and Pan-American CopyrightConventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc.

2 ,New York, and in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, : 0-394-82199-8 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 61-13202 Manufactured in the United States of AmericaCONTENTS1. Milo 92. Beyond Expectations 163. Welcome to Dictionopolis 324. Confusion in the Market Place 455. Short Shrift 586. Faintly Macabre's Story 717.

3 The Royal Banquet 808. The Humbug Volunteers 929. It's All in How You Look at Things 10110. A Colorful Symphony 10911. Dischord and Dynne 12712. The Silent Valley 14413. Unfortunate Conclusions 16014. The Dodecahedron Leads the Way 17115. This Way to Infinity 18416. A Very Dirty Bird 19317.

4 Unwelcoming Committee 21118. Castle in the Air 22419. The Return of Rhyme and Reason 23720. Good-bye and Hello 2531. MiloThere was once a boy named Milo who didn't knowwhat to do with himself not just sometimes, but he was in School he longed to be out, and whenhe was out he longed to be in. On the way he thoughtabout coming home, and coming home he thought aboutgoing. Wherever he was he wished he were somewhereelse, and when he got there he wondered why he'd both-ered.

5 Nothing really interested him least of all thethings that should have."It seems to me that almost everything is a waste oftime," he remarked one day as he walked dejectedlyhome from School . "I can't see the point in learning tosolve useless problems, or subtracting turnips from tur-nips, or knowing where Ethiopia is or how to spell Feb-ruary." And, since no one bothered to explain otherwise,he regarded the process of seeking knowledge as thegreatest waste of time of he and his unhappy thoughts hurried along (forwhile he was never anxious to be where he was going,he liked to get there as quickly as possible) it seemed agreat wonder that the world, which was so large, couldsometimes feel so small and empty.

6 "And worst of all," he continued sadly, "there's noth-ing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly any-thing worth seeing." He punctuated this last thoughtwith such a deep sigh that a house sparrow singingnearby stopped and rushed home to be with his stopping or looking up, he rushed past thebuildings and busy shops that lined the street and in afew minutes reached home dashed through the lobby hopped onto the elevator two, three, four, five, six,seven, eight, and off again opened the apartment door rushed into his room flopped dejectedly into a chair,and grumbled softly.

7 "Another long afternoon."He looked glumly at all the things he owned. Thebooks that were too much trouble to read, the tools he'dnever learned to use, the small electric automobile hehadn't driven in months or was it years? and the hun-dreds of other games and toys, and bats and balls, andbits and pieces scattered around him. And then, to oneside of the room, just next to the phonograph, he noticedsomething he had certainly never seen could possibly have left such an enormous pack-age and such a strange one?

8 For, while it was not quitesquare, it was definitely not round, and for its size it waslarger than almost any other big package of smallerdimension that he'd ever to one side was a bright-blue envelopewhich said simply: "FOR MILO, WHO HAS PLENTYOF TIME."Of course, if you've ever gotten a surprise package,you can imagine how puzzled and excited Milo was; andif you've never gotten one, pay close attention, becausesomeday you might."I don't think it's my birthday," he puzzled, "andChristmas must be months away, and I haven't been out-standingly good, or even good at all.

9 " (He had to admitthis even to himself.) "Most probably I won't like it any-way, but since I don't know where it came from, I can'tpossibly send it back." He thought about it for quite awhile and then opened the envelope, but just to be po-lite."ONE GENUINE TURNPIKE Tollbooth ," itstated and then it went on:"EASILY ASSEMBLED AT HOME, AND FOR USEBY THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER TRAVELED INLANDS BEYOND.""Beyond what?" thought Milo as he continued to read."THIS PACKAGE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWINGITEMS:"One (1) genuine turnpike Tollbooth to be erectedaccording to directions.

10 "Three (3) precautionary signs to be used in a pre-cautionary fashion."Assorted coins for use in paying tolls."One (1) map, up to date and carefully drawn by mas-ter cartographers, depicting natural and man-madefeatures."One (1) book of rules and traffic regulations, whichmay not be bent or broken."And in smaller letters at the bottom it concluded:"Results are not guaranteed, but if not perfectly satis-fied, your wasted time will be refunded."Following the instructions, which told him to cut here,lift there, and fold back all around, he soon had the toll-booth unpacked and set up on its stand.