The Phantom Tollbooth

Norman Dietz, an active audiobook narrator, has a deliberate manner of speaking which seems painfully slow with certain texts and meshes well with others. Here, in this children's classic, he shines. His expressive deliberateness conveys a sense of open-mouthed wonder. His deep and friendly voice sounds like a favored uncle reading to a circle of children. The listener is carried into the story and becomes the jaded Milo, encountering bizarre characters and peculiar places. The text is unadorned by sound effects or music, but it's no impediment to pleasurable listening. D.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

David Hyde Pierce delivers an imaginative narration of this unforgettable family listen. Milo is unenthusiastic about life until he receives a mysterious gift--a tollbooth that becomes his portal to strange lands. The fantasy journey kicks off as Pierce presents the Whether Man, who speaks so quickly that listeners, like Milo, won't know whether they're coming or going. Switching pace, Pierce and Milo next steer listeners into the Doldrums. There, Pierce stretches out each word, punctuating his reading with yawns until listeners, like Milo, are too sleepy to function. Throughout the story Pierce provides superb characterizations and faultless timing, transporting listeners with wordplay, steering them through slapstick, and thrilling them at every twist and turn of Milo's adventures. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Actor Rainn Wilson displays his vocal talents with an enchanting performance of this imaginative classic children's novel. An introduction read by the author sets up the tale of Milo, a child who is always bored with life's offerings, and his adventures through a magical tollbooth to the Lands Beyond. With an engaging delivery, Wilson succeeds in captivating listeners. Soothing tones and even pacing aid the flow of the story as Milo and his companions journey on a rescue mission through the Lands Beyond. One can easily imagine a family enjoying the story together at bedtime. This is a thoroughly clever tale enhanced by a gifted narrator. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine