Phantom Tollbooth Fans: A New Book by Norton Juster arrives

The Phantom Tollbooth


I loved this book as a child.  I even have an autographed version I got when Norton Juster visited Seattle.


I remember being in 4th or 5th grade and going into my school's library.  I know exactly what shelf this was on seeing it between all the thin books-- The Phantom Tollbooth--the fattest book on that shelf.  


I remember deciding that I must read this book.


I did and it has been one of my favorite books since then.


I just learned a couple days ago on NPR that, Norton Juster has reconnected with his illustrator and now have a new book out!


Here's the details and a link to the story--


Fans of a boy named Milo, a watchdog called Tock and a pompous Humbug had reason to rejoice on Wednesday -- the day that a picture book called The Odious Ogre was released. Written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer, the book marks the first time that Juster and Feiffer have collaborated since creating The Phantom Tollboothtogether in the early 1960s.

That initial alliance was, at least in part, a matter of circumstance. "We were sharing a duplex in the wrong end of Brooklyn Heights," Juster tells NPR's Liane Hansen. At the time, the writer had a $5,000 grant to write a book on urban design. Instead, he dreamed up The Phantom Tollbooth. Each time he wrote a chapter, he would run to Feiffer's half of the house and excitedly read it to him. Feiffer began to scribble drawings inspired by the story.

The rest is kid-lit history.

Though Ogre has fewer pages and more pictures than Tollbooth, Juster is wary of labeling it a book for younger readers: "I'm not sure it's for younger kids," he says. "I'm not sure it's for older kids or even adults. I think it's just a good story."

The Odious Ogre

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