A Children's Classic
At 50

As a child I first became aware of Norton Juster's classic, Phantom Tollbooth through Chuck Jones' film- a film which the author never liked, but I confess I still do. The patina of age has only added to the late 60's artifice of the live action sequences and to Chuck Jones’ distinct animation style. However, I digress- back to the book- I was drawn into Milo’s odyssey through an abstracted world of learning through its wordplay (his best friend and companion is Tock, a watchdog- naturally) and its magical sensibility which still endure for me at least. So as “The Phantom Tollbooth” hits the grand old age of fifty, we should celebrate this classic and reflect upon a book that sees education as an adventure full of wonder, and share it with a new generation.