The Phantom Tollbooth (Yearling 2005)
Norton Juster
LAW-Faculty Read Collection PS3560.U858P43 2005
From Professor Julie Shapiro: “The combination of story and word-play in The Phantom Tollbooth was (and is) irresistible to me. On the surface, it is the story of Milo’s adventures with his entertaining creatures along the way. As a child I read it over and over, getting a few more of the jokes each time. It’s still the case that each time I read it something I didn’t notice (or had forgotten) strikes me. And finally, it is a moral tale—only the return of Rhyme and Reason can bring harmony to the world.”
Pippi Longstocking (Puffin 1997)
Astrid Lindgren
LAW-Faculty Read Collection PZ7.L6585Pi 1997
From Kristin Cheney, Professor Emerita: “Pippi Longstocking has been described by some as a feminist role model for young girls, and when I was a little girl reading Astrid Lindgren’s stories, I may well have subliminally absorbed that message. However, what I really remember was this incredibly fearless, adventuresome girl with gorgeous (at least in my mind) red hair who was not only super strong and rich, but had a monkey for a friend. I wanted to be just like her and in some ways still do. I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a sack full of gold pieces?”
Sink It, Rusty (Little, Brown 1963)
Matt Christopher
LAW-Faculty Read Collection PZ7.C458Si 1963
From Kelly Kunsch, Reference Librarian: “I’ve always loved sports and when I was growing up, the only sport stories written for kids were by Matt Christopher. The formula for his books was always the same: kid with problem struggles to make the team but ultimately is the hero in the biggest game of the season. In Sink It Rusty, Rusty limped because of childhood polio (a common disease years ago). As a sign of the times, the book was revised in 1995 and called Shoot for the Hoop (the protagonist this time being afflicted with diabetes…). Having books on subjects of interest encouraged kids like me to read more. As for life imitating art, I was cut from my high school basketball team for being too short. I obviously should have loaned the coach a copy of Sink It Rusty.”
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