Customer Reviews

The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I consider THE ANNOTATED PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH a five-star Twofer. There's Norton Juster's original and beloved text, of course, accompanied by Jules Feiffer's original illustrations, which causes the reader to smile, guffaw and laugh out loud, not to mention marvel at and laud the extraordinarily delicious language. But then bordering that text is Leonard Marcus' gracefully-written exposition, opening the door to the story's Back Story - its Who, What, When, Where, How and Why, as well as Juster's and Feiffer's Back Stories too. Readers will smile, guffaw and laugh out loud a second time and heap even more praise once they see the process - i.e. Juster's original word lists, character write-ups and early drafts as well as Jules Feiffer's original sketches and learn how these two friends brought Milo to the page at a singular time in our country's history. The writer in me, the reader in me, the teacher I am and my inner child enthusiastically HURRAH! and give Marcus a thumbs up for this insightful,informative and funny look at a true classic.

As both a longtime "Tollbooth" fan and admirer of historian Leonard Marcus's always thorough and insightful work, I have been eagerly awaiting the publication of the "Annotated" edition. I was thrilled to find it's just as terrific as anticipated. Filled with interesting notes, sketches, and personal photos from both Juster and Feiffer (as well as a fascinating Appendix section containing such rare gems as Juster's handwritten character and word lists and handwritten manuscript drafts), this delightful edition does just what an annotated version of a well-loved text should -- it successfully opens up our understanding of the original source material in a new way while simultaneously increasing our appreciation of it. With a keen eye and a light touch, Marcus illuminates this beloved work with just the right amount of detail, expertly addressing the clever idioms, puns, and other elements that make "Tollbooth" such a classic of children's literature. The beautiful, well-considered design and easy-to-read text ensure that this edition will please fans of the book in addition to those who have the luck of discovering it for the very first time. One of my favorite books of 2011 and a perfect addition to any children's book collection!

The story of how architect Norman Juster, after being awarded a prestigious Ford Foundation grant to write a children's book on urban planning, came to write THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH could support a book in itself. Marcus delights the readers of THE ANNOTATED PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by relating the history of the creation of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Juster and its illustrator, Jules Feiffer, as well as countless other details sure to hold the attention of the reader. This book is a must-have for those who grew up reading the children's book masterpiece, and also for anyone who loves knowing the story behind the story, and all who appreciate word play and timeless humor. Marcus's insightful observations and research discoveries are printed in blue in the margins,making them easily differentiated from the original text of Juster's book.
Those who missed the fun of reading THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH as children can buy THE ANNOTATED PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH and double their pleasure. Read the book and learn why it is still in print after fifty years!

My elder stepson's favorite book when he was young was The
Phantom Tollbooth so I was delighted to find it had been issued in an annotated edition, just in time to be sent to him for the holidays. Amazon's usual efficiency and excellent price ensured that my 40 plus year old kid now living on the opposite side of the continent from me had this nice memory to open on Christmas morning.

I haven't gotten very far in the book yet but I've already greatly enjoyed the forward which had a history of the author and the illustrator. Even just a few pages in to the story itself, I'm finding the sidebar annotations to be interesting.

Insubstantive comments in a difficult-to-read blue type. Unlike other famously-annotated works, this book simply does not have enough cultural or historical cross-referencing in its text to justify an annotated edition, and thus much of the annotations are comments on the author's intentions.

This book is one of my favorites, so I have no complaints about the content. It is going to be a Christmas present, so I pre-ordered it to have it sooner rather than later, and when I opened the box, I saw that the paper cover was ripped three times, which I assume happened during the shipping process. I don't think it's worth the hassle of returning it, but I really wish the book had been protected better. Part of the problem was that it came in a box way too big for it, so it had room to move around and there was nowhere near enough padding inside of the box itself. I am quite disappointed.