Metal Skull

Looking for a few childrens books I read 26 years ago. Tripods, metal caps, closet to a new world?

Hey I know that it might be a longshot but I am sure you book nerds can help me out.

Book 1-
It had to do something with these huge tripods walking around and everyone had to wear metal caps for some reason. I think it was to track everyone. Then one of the characters cuts his metal skull cap off. That is all I remember.

Book 2- There was a few kids that went ito someone's closet. When they went there, there was a toll booth and something about not jumpng to conclusions.

Any ideas? I read these 2 books in 2nd grade and I am 30 now and I still can't remember what they were.

The second book is The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It's one of my favorites ever! There's only one kid, and he doesn't go through a closet (you might be confusing that with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). But the kid (Milo) was sent a large package which contained the tollbooth and a little car, and then he entered into Dictionopolis and Digitopolis and began his adventures.

Not sure about the first one.

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