Ask students to brainstorm what the book is about based on the title alone. Encourage students to jot down their own ideas and then to share in group discussion. Follow up by displaying several different book covers for the novel. Instruct students to rewrite or expand on their predictions based on the examples of cover art. Differentiate for visual learners by having them draw their own covers to illustrate their predictions.
Reveal to students that "The Phantom Tollbooth" is an adventure novel set in an imaginary land. Task students with writing a fictional story in which they find themselves in a strange new world. Encourage students to write with descriptive language drawing on the five senses. Vary the assignment by asking students to write about a country they have never visited but would like to explore.
Prepare students for encountering the abundance of word play in "The Phantom Tollbooth" with an activity on homophones. Group students into twos and task them with making a list of homophones, words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings. Quiz the students on their answers and have them challenge other groups for the correct spelling and usage of the homophones on their lists.
Give students 10 minutes to respond to the journal prompt: What do you do to escape the doldrums? Remind students to look up the word "doldrums" before writing. Encourage students to use concrete language and imagery when free writing in their journals.