his quirky fantasy story reveals how a restless and precocious ten-year-old boy learns to appreciate the ordinary things in life after he embarks on a wondrous journey.

Milo is in a deep blue funk. Nothing and no one capture his interest. Boredom is Milo's middle name. The young boy is resigned to this state of affairs until he returns from school one day to find a package containing a giant toy tollbooth in his bedroom. When Milo puts the tollbooth together, and takes a ride on his toy car through the booth, a whimsical adventure begins. On this adventure, Milo visits Dictionpolis, the land of words, Digitopolis, the land of numbers, and meets an odd cast of characters along the way. The "watch" dog Tock, the Mathemagician, Officer Short Shift, and the Lethargarians are just some of Milo's new friends who show him how fascinating life can be.

The story's black-and-white drawings are enhanced by the exceptionally witty text. Readers will be entertained by the satire and humor here, and will learn the same timeless lesson Milo comes to understand — to cherish life's little wonders.

Fiction / Nonfiction: Fiction

Grade Level: 5.4

Lexile: 1000

Guided Reading Level: W

AR Test: Yes

Number of Copies: 2