The Phantom Tolbooth

FromBooks Are Back

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The Phantom Tolbooth

FromBooks Are Back

ratings:

Length:

26 minutes

Released:

Aug 5, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Norton Juster's Phantom Tolbooth is the gateway to a fantastical land filled with strange characters who provide the young hero with food for thought as he tries to rescue the Princesses Rhyme and Reason.

Released:

Aug 5, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (19)

Ursula reads books that her mother remembers as childhood favourites, and then they discuss whether they stand the test of time.

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The Magician's Nephew: The first book in C S Lewis's Narnia Chronicles was a better read for Ursula than it was for Catherine. We discuss why, and also whether it is in fact the first book in the series. by Books Are Back
26 min listen
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle: In their first episode, Ursula and Catherine discuss Hugh Lofting's novel, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle. Ursula read it last week. Catherine read it last century. Luckily, they've both seen the film. by Books Are Back
21 min listen
Ordinary Jack: Ursula and Catherine don't both find the humour in Ordinary Jack by Helen Cresswell. But can mother make daughter laugh by throwing in a couple of modest character voices when reading aloud? by Books Are Back
22 min listen
A Child's Christmas in Wales: Normal service is interrupted when Catherine and Ursula feel the need to get into the festive spirit, hurriedly reading Dylan Thomas's classic in time for Christmas. by Books Are Back
25 min listen
Help! I am a Prisoner in a Toothpaste Factory.: Ursula and Catherine are not the only members of the family to have read Help! I am a Prisoner in a Toothpaste Factory by John Antrobus. So this episode features a special guest appearance. by Books Are Back
17 min listen
The Swish of the Curtain: Catherine rakes her recollection for details of a beautiful blue dress while Ursula fills her in on every detail but that one of Pamela Brown's classic about a theatre company founded by seven children. by Books Are Back
26 min listen
Little House in the Big Woods: Join Ursula and Catherine as they tackle the episodic style of Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic tales of her childhood, beginning in the Little House in the Big Woods. by Books Are Back
29 min listen
My Friend Mr Leakey: In this episode, Catherine discovers that author J.B.S. Haldane was "astonishingly interesting", but can Ursula say the same about his only creation for children, the magician Mr Leakey? by Books Are Back
21 min listen
The Ultimate Alphabet: In episode eight Catherine and Ursula discuss art, anamorphic projection and also The Ultimate Alphabet by Mike Wilks. Check @BooksAreBack1 on Twitter or @booksarebackpod on Instagram for some pictures to help make sense of this astonishing book by Books Are Back
23 min listen
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH: Ursula and Catherine discuss sci-fi classic Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien, bemoaning the fact that their copy seems to have the ugliest cover of any edition so far published. by Books Are Back
24 min listen
The Sword in the Stone: T H White's retelling of the Arthurian Legends began here, in the book from which Catherine learnt more about falconry than she ever knew she knew. by Books Are Back
33 min listen
How to Eat Fried Worms: Ursula and Catherine enjoyed different aspects of Thomas Rockwell's story, which is about exactly what it says on the cover. This episode features discussion on censorship and also gastronomy, obviously. by Books Are Back
21 min listen
Auntie Robbo: Ann Scott-Moncrieff's novel was originally rejected as "too Scottish and too irresponsible." Neither Catherine nor Ursula let this put them off. by Books Are Back
29 min listen
The Secret of the Old Clock: We compare a Nancy Drew book to modern detective stories and solve the mystery of the identity of Carolyn Keene. by Books Are Back
22 min listen
The Spy's Guidebook: Disguises! Secret messages! Tracking the enemy! Ursula, Catherine and their special guest learnt all these and more from this Usborne favourite. by Books Are Back
28 min listen
Murder Most Unladylike: Ursula and Catherine reverse their usual roles for a discussion of Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens, a stone cold classic in the modern children's murder mystery genre. by Books Are Back
30 min listen
A Necklace of Raindrops: Joan Aiken's stories remind Ursula and Catherine of fairy tales, and they also look closely at Jan Pienkowski's incredible illustrations. by Books Are Back
22 min listen
The Family From One End Street: Eve Garnett's classic stories about The Family from One End Street broke new ground when they were published in 1937. In this episode you can listen to us discuss the strong contrast with modern parenting and hear Catherine's horror as Ursula fantasises ... by Books Are Back
28 min listen
The Phantom Tolbooth: Norton Juster's Phantom Tolbooth is the gateway to a fantastical land filled with strange characters who provide the young hero with food for thought as he tries to rescue the Princesses Rhyme and Reason. by Books Are Back
26 min listen

More Episodes from Books Are Back

Skip carousel

The Family From One End Street: Eve Garnett's classic stories about The Family from One End Street broke new ground when they were published in 1937. In this episode you can listen to us discuss the strong contrast with modern parenting and hear Catherine's horror as Ursula fantasises ... by Books Are Back
28 min listen
Murder Most Unladylike: Ursula and Catherine reverse their usual roles for a discussion of Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens, a stone cold classic in the modern children's murder mystery genre. by Books Are Back
30 min listen
A Necklace of Raindrops: Joan Aiken's stories remind Ursula and Catherine of fairy tales, and they also look closely at Jan Pienkowski's incredible illustrations. by Books Are Back
22 min listen
The Secret of the Old Clock: We compare a Nancy Drew book to modern detective stories and solve the mystery of the identity of Carolyn Keene. by Books Are Back
22 min listen
The Spy's Guidebook: Disguises! Secret messages! Tracking the enemy! Ursula, Catherine and their special guest learnt all these and more from this Usborne favourite. by Books Are Back
28 min listen
The Sword in the Stone: T H White's retelling of the Arthurian Legends began here, in the book from which Catherine learnt more about falconry than she ever knew she knew. by Books Are Back
33 min listen
Auntie Robbo: Ann Scott-Moncrieff's novel was originally rejected as "too Scottish and too irresponsible." Neither Catherine nor Ursula let this put them off. by Books Are Back
29 min listen
The Magician's Nephew: The first book in C S Lewis's Narnia Chronicles was a better read for Ursula than it was for Catherine. We discuss why, and also whether it is in fact the first book in the series. by Books Are Back
26 min listen
How to Eat Fried Worms: Ursula and Catherine enjoyed different aspects of Thomas Rockwell's story, which is about exactly what it says on the cover. This episode features discussion on censorship and also gastronomy, obviously. by Books Are Back
21 min listen
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH: Ursula and Catherine discuss sci-fi classic Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien, bemoaning the fact that their copy seems to have the ugliest cover of any edition so far published. by Books Are Back
24 min listen
The Ultimate Alphabet: In episode eight Catherine and Ursula discuss art, anamorphic projection and also The Ultimate Alphabet by Mike Wilks. Check @BooksAreBack1 on Twitter or @booksarebackpod on Instagram for some pictures to help make sense of this astonishing book by Books Are Back
23 min listen
The Swish of the Curtain: Catherine rakes her recollection for details of a beautiful blue dress while Ursula fills her in on every detail but that one of Pamela Brown's classic about a theatre company founded by seven children. by Books Are Back
26 min listen
My Friend Mr Leakey: In this episode, Catherine discovers that author J.B.S. Haldane was "astonishingly interesting", but can Ursula say the same about his only creation for children, the magician Mr Leakey? by Books Are Back
21 min listen
Little House in the Big Woods: Join Ursula and Catherine as they tackle the episodic style of Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic tales of her childhood, beginning in the Little House in the Big Woods. by Books Are Back
29 min listen
A Child's Christmas in Wales: Normal service is interrupted when Catherine and Ursula feel the need to get into the festive spirit, hurriedly reading Dylan Thomas's classic in time for Christmas. by Books Are Back
25 min listen
Help! I am a Prisoner in a Toothpaste Factory.: Ursula and Catherine are not the only members of the family to have read Help! I am a Prisoner in a Toothpaste Factory by John Antrobus. So this episode features a special guest appearance. by Books Are Back
17 min listen
Ordinary Jack: Ursula and Catherine don't both find the humour in Ordinary Jack by Helen Cresswell. But can mother make daughter laugh by throwing in a couple of modest character voices when reading aloud? by Books Are Back
22 min listen
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle: In their first episode, Ursula and Catherine discuss Hugh Lofting's novel, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle. Ursula read it last week. Catherine read it last century. Luckily, they've both seen the film. by Books Are Back
21 min listen

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The Phantom Tolbooth

The Phantom Tolbooth

Description

Titles in the series (19)

More Episodes from Books Are Back