brb regressing to childhood and giving this one a reread. i’m so excited!

You can be mad at me for hating a classic, and you can disagree with me all you want, but this book is legitimate awful. I had to read it for school and it not only bored me half to death, but it has not plot whatsoever. The main character simply runs into countless characters, learns about their life story, and moves on. The descriptions and figurative language made it sound like the author was trying too hard to win a Newberry Award or something.
I can't even believe that this book is a "classic". That makes me want to scream! There is not a single thing I like about this book. It was a little bit creepy as well as boring. I was so annoyed by this book that after reading it, I promptly stuck it in my brother's room and advised him never to touch it unless it is forced upon him against his will. If you are looking for a fun, whimsical story, read The Lost Track of Time, by Paige Britt, and never ever lay a finger on The Phantom Tollbooth.

I read this back in 5th grade and all I remembered about it was the kid who grew down from the air instead of up from the ground.

This was basically dad jokes turned into a story akin to Alice in Wonderland, with the moral being to enjoy where you and learn all that you can. Very enjoyable. The narrator was excellent for this and captured the whimsical tone perfectly.