The Phantom Tollbooth — Norton Juster

Milo's Magical Mystery Tour

Milo has nothing much at all to do--until he drives through the Phantom Tollbooth. Beyond it lies a strange land and an even stranger series of adventures. Milo visits the island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about wasting time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and sets out on a quest for Rhyme and Reason, hoping to settle the war between words and numbers along the way. Now that he thinks about it, he's got plenty to keep him busy after all.