The Phantom Tollbooth Audiobook By Norton Juster cover art

The Phantom Tollbooth

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Phantom Tollbooth

By: Norton Juster
Narrated by: Rainn Wilson, Norton Juster
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.00

Buy for $18.00

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

Hailed as "a classic...humorous, full of warmth and real invention" (The New Yorker), this beloved story - first published more than 50 years ago - introduces readers to Milo and his adventures in the Lands Beyond.

For Milo, everything's a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he's got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason!

Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it's exciting beyond his wildest dreams....

"I read [The Phantom Tollbooth] first when I was 10. I still have the book report I wrote, which began 'This is the best book ever.'" (The New York Times)

"The Phantom Tollbooth is the closest thing we have to a modern Alice in Wonderland." (The Guardian)

"The book lingers long after turning the final page.... A classic indeed." (Los Angeles Review of Books)

©1961 Norton Juster (P)2018 Listening Library Action & Adventure Classics Fantasy & Magic Fantasy Essentials Humorous Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Witty Funny Feel-Good Young Adult Literature

Critic reviews

"I read The Phantom Tollbooth first when I was 10. I still have the book report I wrote, which began 'This is the best book ever.'" (Anna Quindlen, The New York Times)

“The Phantom Tollbooth is the closest thing we have to a modern Alice in Wonderland.” (The Guardian)

"A classic - Humorous, full of warmth, and real invention." (The New Yorker)

“You loved the humor and adventure...and [now] you’ll marvel at [the book's] wit, complexity, and its understanding of how children perceive the passage of time.” (Entertainment Weekly)

Featured Article: The top 100 fantasy listens of all time


When compiling our list of the best fantasy listening out there, we immediately came up against the age-old question: Is this fantasy or science fiction? The distinction is not as clear as you may think. Dragons, elves, and wizards are definitely fantasy, but what about wizards that also fly space ships? (Looking at you, Star Wars.) For the sake of fantasy purity, the top 100 fantasy listens include the best audio works in all manner of fantasy subgenres.

Featured Article The top 100 fantasy listens of all time
Clever Wordplay • Imaginative Adventure • Excellent Narration • Timeless Lessons • Philosophical Depth
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
"The Phantom Tollbooth" Audible version is a treasure trove of nostalgia and new adventures! It's a timeless classic that leaps to life with fantastic narration, engaging young and adult listeners—journey with Milo in this captivating, fun, and thought-provoking quest. Perfect for sharing with your kiddo in 2023 - it's the epitome of edutainment wrapped in whimsy. This a definite 5-star recommendation for every audiobook library!

The Phantom Tollbooth - A timeless treat

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Rainn Wilson does so well with this story. His voice is smooth and steady throughout. He handles character changes easily. The surprise of his son's voice was ok, but also a bit odd because it was the only voice not done by Mr Wilson out of all the characters we meet. It felt out of place at first but then it seemed as if it would've been nice to have a boy's voice for Milo as well the entire time.

As for the actual book, I am in love with the marriage of math and language used in a story to teach a lesson without beating the reader over the head with it. There are miniature lessons in the individual subjects and there is one overall message that is plainly revealed at the end of the book so that anyone reading or listening can understand why Milo needed this journey.

I know the author wrote the book for a middle grades audience, but I recommend it for adults and younger children as well. I would recommend having a physical copy of the book for some to follow along, I know I loved seeing the wordplay written out (I'm a Word Nerd) and it helped me to see the numbers and goings on in Digitopolis. I have read the book many times and I still stop and solve the math problem every time because I find it fun and a great way to jog my memory about math rules. Teachers could could use this book in class to tie together multiple subjects into one unit. I can think of so many people who could find this book entertaining and some who would find it useful as well.

A Childhood Favorite in a Wonderful Audiobook!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is one of my favorite audiobooks to listen to on long walks and before bed. I think that the voice of .58 could be a bit better, but that’s just my opinion. Overall this is the perfect book for anyone and is the best.

The Phantom Tollbooth

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book is a total classic geared towards minds that defy the usual. Wordplay, philosophical arguments, and crossing of the senses are among the themes that stand out from this book, and Rainn Wilson's portrayal of the story gives it great justice.

A Classic for Unconventional Minds

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Rainn Wilson's narration brought this children's classic to life! It took me back to when I first read it at age 10. This book did more for molding the way I perceive the world than any other. What a fun journey back through this magic kingdom!

Brilliant!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I remember reading this book growing up, but I had forgotten just how fantastic the adventure was, a tale for both kids and adults. This performance was thoroughly entertaining and well done, a perfect rendition of the story and its many characters. We all can, and should, take lessons from Milo and crew. Highly recommended: entertaining, smart, funny, and applicable to today’s world.

Forgotten just how awesome this is!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I wish each kid 6th-12th grade would read this book. It made me laugh out loud many times. It’s very witty, entertaining and dare I say pretty eye-opening & educational. My 7 year old daughter stopped what she was doing & sat down in awe to listen with me. It entertains the reader while also gets one to really think about their own take on life. A fantastic book all-around!

Amazing book for unmotivated readers

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Reading to this book to my class would not have been the same as Rainn Wilson reading it. The voices, dialect, etc. brought the characters to life, and he did an excellent job of helping all of us to visualize this brilliant story. My students enjoyed it immensely.

Thank You - from a teacher

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
me and my kids left out loud and multiple times! can't wait to listen again.

One of the best books on audible!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Glad to be able to introduce and explain tricky English words that are homographs, homophones, and common phrases that dont make literal sense.

Great way to introduce tricky words

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews