"The Phantom Tollbooth" was published in September 1961. Its competition among new books for the minds and hearts of children included Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach". "The Bronze Bow", set in the Biblical times, was newly available, and would bring Elizabeth George Speare her second Newbery Award in three years. Neither publisher nor first-time author expected many sales for "The Phantom Tollbooth", but Juster was nevertheless disappointed not to find his work on store shelves. His mother, Minnie, did her part, as her son put it, "terrorizing" bookstore owners into displaying it.