Grade 5 Math Book · Math Stories & Mathematicians
The Phantom Tollbooth
by Norton Juster
Milo is bored with everything until a tollbooth appears in his room. He drives into a strange land, visiting Dictionopolis, where words rule, and Digitopolis, ruled by the Mathemagician, on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason.
Why it's useful
A classic chapter book full of math wordplay and big ideas.
- Infinity and averages. Milo meets puzzles like the ".58 of a child" and the road to infinity.
- Words and numbers together. The story argues that both matter.
- Curiosity. It's a book about not being bored and noticing ideas.
Try it in class or at home
- Digitopolis chapters. Read the Mathemagician chapters and discuss the puzzles.
- The average child. Find the class average for something, and talk about ".58 of a child".
- Math jokes. Students write their own number puns like the book's.