Nobody spotted the dwarf yesterday, eh? Pity, such a sweet little one, I wonder where George found him. Now for advent calendar day 5:
“Eat your words!” (Nimm alles zurück!) ... and Milo does. The Phantom Tollbooth (1961) takes him into a parallel world where you have to eat words to use them. — I’m always nibbling on mine.
Highlights from the book: Milo meets the Whether Man (“for after all it’s more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be”), and picks up a watchdog named Tock (who has a giant alarm clock for a body). Milo and Tock then set off toward the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the twin Princesses, Rhyme and Reason. In jail, they meet a Which named Faintly Macabre, who used to pick which words were used for which purpose. But she was a very bad which, because she decided to keep all the good words for herself.
4 Responses
I absolutely LOVE this book, and I can’t wait to share it with my own kids….. it is sooo witty, and good hearted…
Isn’t it, though? But I do think it’s best for children from, say, 8 on up, and really perfect for 10-year-olds. If you have any other tips for books to give to children, please share – Christmas is coming! 🙂
Little kids, and me, – Shhh! by Sally Grindley (words) and Peter Utton (pictures) published by ABC 1991.
Thanks for reminding me of this awesome book from my childhood, I’d forgotten all about it. I remember my older sister reading it to me when I was little. Aww…