Books are changing lives day by day! 

Reading is a hobby loved by many, but it’s also more than just reading. Books can transform people’s lives–and many, if not all, readers have a book that has changed theirs. It can be any book, starting as simple as a children’s picture book to a more complex reading of a famous autobiography. Books share stories and inspirational messages that can impact someone’s life and, in some cases, completely alter the course of it. Ms. Lyndsey Mullins, an EHS English teacher, explains how the simple children’s book The Phantom Tollbooth influenced her own career choice on teaching. She says, “The book was such an influence on learning for me. The fictional and fantastical worlds that it takes place in are all based around various academic subjects. With learning being presented as an almost fairytale, I was hooked!”

The Phantom Tollbooth is a story about a young boy named Milo who finds an unmarked package in his home. Upon opening and assembling the contents, he realizes it is a tollbooth. When he drives through it in his toy car, he is transported into a magical realm. Milo meets many punny characters like the Weather Man, the Watchdog (a dog with a clock for a body), and the Spelling Bee. He finds himself on a quest to rescue the princesses of the realm and must travel through places like Dictionopolis, Digitopolis, the Island of Conclusion (gotten there by jumping), and the Doldrums. This book is full of adventure and provides great character development, which can influence young readers, as well. Mullins goes to further-explain how this book has impacted her life. It all started in elementary school during her second grade class in 1997. She exclaims, “The librarian would read a couple chapters every week when we would go to the library. I was always so excited to hear the next part!” This book quickly became a favorite in her life. She has now read this book countless times and has most recently read it to her own kids as a continuous bedtime story. 

Simply picking up a book and reading it can influence lives in more ways than can be imagined–proving that everyone has a different story and memory of how his or her favorite book has affected him or her. It’s crazy to even think reading can be anything more than just a hobby, but Mullins has proven this wrong. She leaves off by saying, “Although The Phantom Tollbooth is a children’s book, I think everyone should read it! It is funny, engaging, and full of adventure.”