Buzz
Norton Juster’s 1961 classic, which follows a disinterested boy’s adventure into a fantastical realm, goes beyond mere storytelling—it beautifully captures the delight of discovery and education. The tale’s origins are equally intriguing, so we’ve gathered some captivating details to enhance your next trip through the Kingdom of Wisdom.
1. The Phantom Tollbooth was born out of Juster’s tendency to procrastinate.
After completing a three-year stint in the Navy, Juster moved back to Brooklyn and took up a job in architecture. Awarded a $5000 grant by the Ford Foundation to pen a children’s book on urban life, he found himself bogged down by the extensive research needed. Seeking a break, he went on a vacation. When he returned, his guilt over neglecting the city book project spurred him to jot down ideas about a boy named Milo, who bore a striking resemblance to Juster in his younger days. As Juster explained to NPR, “To stop obsessing over cities, I needed to focus on something entirely different.”
2. Norton Juster’s childhood synesthesia played a pivotal role in shaping The Phantom Tollbooth.
Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon where one sensory experience triggers another, such as associating sounds with colors or words with specific hues. Each person with synesthesia experiences it uniquely.
Juster’s synesthesia led him to link numbers with colors, as well as words and images. Though he outgrew the condition, its influence is clear in his vivid writing style. Juster once remarked, “Writing for me is a visual process, no matter how abstract or undefined. Without this strong visual sense, I doubt I would have become a writer at all.”
3. Despite the parallels, Norton Juster did not draw inspiration from Alice in Wonderland.
While the Kingdom of Wisdom may remind readers of fantastical realms like Narnia, the Emerald City, or Wonderland, Juster’s inspiration was distinct. Unlike Lewis Carroll’s Alice, Milo’s journey was shaped by Juster’s father’s love for puns and wordplay, as well as his own childhood fascination with radio stories and imaginative possibilities.
4. Milo’s character was inspired by a “boy who asked too many questions.”
While grappling with his book on urban life, Juster met a curious boy who inquired, “What’s the largest number in existence?” Quick-witted, Juster responded, “Tell me your biggest number,” and then encouraged the boy to keep adding one, sparking a conversation about infinity. This encounter gave birth to the idea of the “boy who asked too many questions.”
5. Milo’s loyal companion, Tock, has origins in radio.
Tock, the “watchdog,” was inspired by Jim Fairfield from Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy, a radio show Juster adored as a child. Though Uncle Jim from the show wasn’t a dog, he embodied the same bravery, wisdom, and adventurous nature that Tock brings to Milo’s journey.
6. The memorable illustrations in The Phantom Tollbooth came about through a fortunate twist of fate.
Jules Feiffer, a cartoonist who shared the same apartment building as Juster, often heard the author pacing while working on Tollbooth. Intrigued, Feiffer requested to see the manuscript and ended up illustrating scenes from the book. His initial sketches were done on fragile tracing paper, most of which have since been lost or ruined. Feiffer later quipped, “If Norton had mentioned he was writing a classic, I would’ve used better paper.”
7. Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer engaged in a (mostly) lighthearted creative battle.
Juster, who handled most of the cooking, joked that Feiffer had to draw if he wanted to eat. Their collaboration was filled with playful clashes: Juster often described scenes that were challenging to illustrate, while Feiffer took creative liberties. For instance, Feiffer avoided drawing horses and instead depicted the armies of wisdom riding cats. Despite these differences, their friendship remained strong.
8. The Phantom Tollbooth was initially expected to fail.
As Juster explained to The New Yorker in 2011, early sales forecasts for the book were bleak. Critics argued it wasn’t suitable for children, citing its complex vocabulary, intricate wordplay, and the belief that fantasy could confuse young readers.
9. The New Yorker came to the rescue.
A rave review by The New Yorker critic Emily Maxwell played a pivotal role in the book’s success. Maxwell loved it, drawing parallels to John Bunyan’s 17th-century masterpiece The Pilgrim’s Progress. She noted, “Just as Pilgrim’s Progress focuses on awakening the dormant spirit, The Phantom Tollbooth aims to rouse the idle mind.”
10. Norton Juster primarily worked as an architect, not a writer.
Despite The Phantom Tollbooth becoming a timeless classic, Juster authored only a handful of other books, with The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics being the most notable. He dedicated the majority of his career to architecture, teaching at Hampshire College for over two decades and co-founding an architectural firm in 1970.
11. Norton Juster aimed to show that learning is an immersive experience.
In a 2011 segment of NPR’s All Things Considered, Juster revealed his inspiration behind the book:
"At the time, the common belief was that learning should be simplified and free from challenges. The idea was to shield children from unfamiliar concepts. However, I believe there’s no such thing as a hard word—only words you haven’t learned yet. These are the empowering words Milo discovers throughout his journey."
