The Phantom Tollbooth tells the story of Milo, a young boy who receives a magical tollbooth one day. After driving through the booth in his toy car, he's taken to an imaginary world called the Lands Beyond. The book uses puns to illustrate its point and convey the importance of wisdom over ignorance. The two princesses, Reason and Rhyme, are banished from the city of Wisdom, leading to its downfall. After he helps the kingdom solves its problems, Milo returns to his world a more enlightened and engaged person.