The Phantom Tollbooth

Juster Norton

Grades 4-6

ATOS Book Level: 6.7

AR Quiz No. 130 EN

Word Count：42156

Fiction/Nonfiction：Fiction

Lexile: 1000L

Group size: 3-5 students, no more than 5 students in a group

Course Description

It tells the story of a bored young boy named Milo who unexpectedly receives a magic tollbooth one afternoon and, having nothing better to do, drives through it in his toy car, transporting him to the Kingdom of Wisdom, once prosperous but now troubled.

Literature and Close Reading is a course in which students are introduced to a chosen literary work and analyzed with the guidance of the instructor. Together, they will discuss the core elements of the book and break them down in order to understand the author’s intention. This would include exploring aspects of theme, symbolism, metaphor, intention, and more, as it relates to the overarching story of the characters within the book. By doing so, the students will not only gain an understanding of a well-known literary work but also be able to apply these skills to future literary material they approach during their educational journey.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course students will have developed:

1.  Close reading students will be able to analyze a passage and draw their own creative conclusions based on material taught in class.

2. Comprehension, identification of key concepts/themes- Students will have learned reading comprehension skills that will allow them to identify the key concepts and themes present in the story. 

3. Character and plot- Students will have developed competency in analyzing character evolution and plot progression.  

4. Critical reading/thinking- Students will begin to develop critical thinking skills that will allow them to apply different concepts and perspectives to the story.