What would you say is the ideal age to read The Phantom Tollbooth?

Submitted by Chickens1 t3_z8wofy in books

My 11 year old was assigned it this year in school, so I downloaded the audiobook and was pretty delighted with the wordplay but I think the concepts are a bit beyond him. He's no genius, but he's no dummy either, but I just think a lot of this is going to shoot right over his head.

The wordplay reminded me a lot of L. Frank Baums Oz books. I especially liked the word arithmagician.

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GraniteGeekNH t1_iydowxn wrote

I first read it at almost exactly that age - missed a lot of it but still loved it, and loved it more over the years. There's a copy in the next room.

He's a lucky kid, getting to encounter it for the first time!

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EfusPitch t1_iydrat4 wrote

Holy crap I haven't thought of that book in years.

It was my first "real" novel I fell in love with and must've re-read it at least 20 times over the years. Got to the point I would polish it off in an afternoon for fun.

11 is fine age to read Milo's little adventure, I was probably around there when I picked it up too. Yeah, he might miss some of the drier wit and subtle wordplay, but that makes revisiting a story when you know all the main beats to really chew over the little details all the richer an experience.

Have at it.

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GingerIsTheBestSpice t1_iydrgdp wrote

4th grade for both me and my son 35 years later lol - so we were both around 9 & 10.

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imaginmatrix t1_iydtags wrote

I read it in 3rd grade (about 8 years old?) and ADORED it and if there were concepts I didn’t understand, it taught them to me.

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jinger_is_a_fundie t1_iydte0c wrote

If he's assigned it for school, what are you going to do if we said its better for older kids? (It's not. I think I read it when I was 8 or 9.) It's a fantastic book and kids are not as stupid as people think they are.

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LoneWolfette t1_iyemyqg wrote

I’ve enjoyed this book many times through my life so far and have found new things to appreciate with each reading.

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wombatofevil t1_iyf9a3g wrote

I would strongly recommend giving him the illustrated paper book with Jules Feiffer's drawings. I think with an audio book you're missing half the fun of the Phantom Tollbooth, especially as a kid who won't understand some of what's going on.

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snopdogsumbrela t1_iyfecx9 wrote

It took me a few years (from around that age) and some maturing to really appreciate and understand Edgar Allen Poe's (more famous) works, so if that offers a comparison, that may help you, I hope?

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