The Halloween Tree Paperback – January 1, 2001

"Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows' Eve. Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet or gold or orange velvet. Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys like the plumes of funeral parades. From kitchen windows drifted two pumpkin smells: gourds being cut, pies being baked."-- The Halloween Tree, p. 4Why do we dress up on Halloween? How did the tradition of trick-or-treating begin? Why are witches, skeletons and ghosts associated with Halloween? The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury takes the reader on an incredible journey through the history of Halloween.It's Halloween night, and for 13-year-old Tom Skelton and his friends, it's the most exciting evening of the year. But when they meet up to go trick-or-treating together, they realize that one of their friends is missing - Joe Pipkin, "the greatest boy who ever lived." When they arrive at Pipkin's house, Pip emerges, his face deathly pale. He says that he's not feeling well but he'll catch up with his friends at a house at the edge of town.The boys arrive at the house to find an incredible sight: a giant tree filled with jack-o-lanterns, the Halloween Tree. There they meet the mysterious Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, the sinister yet genial owner of the home. When he questions the boys about the significance of their costumes, the boys, dressed as a Skeleton, Mummy, Witch, Ghost, Gargoyle, etc. all realize that they don't know the stories behind their Halloween costumes. Mr. Moundshroud offers to help them discover the history of All Hallows' Eve, but the boys know they have to wait for Pip. When Pip appears, his friends call to him, but as Pip approaches, he stumbles and vanishes into the darkness. Mr. Moundshroud then takes the boys on an amazing journey through time and space, not only to learn the history of Halloween, but also to save their dear friend, Pipkin.Mr. Moundshroud takes them to ancient Egypt, England during the time of the Druids, Notre Dame in the Middle Ages, and finally to the cemeteries of Mexico for the Day of the Dead. At each magical stop, they learn something new about how the traditions of Halloween were shaped by different cultures across the centuries, culminating in the holiday we know today.Bradbury spins an imaginative and haunting tale of friendship and discovery in this remarkable book. While The Halloween Tree was first published in 1972, my first exposure to the story came from the excellent Cartoon Network television special that aired in the 1990's. If the special is ever made available on DVD, I'll be first in line to purchase it. Until then, the book will be a treasured yearly tradition for me.

Every Halloween Tom Skelton and 7 other boys would go trick-or-treating with Joe Pipkin. All of them are in their costumes playing in town when they realize that only 8 of them are present. Though their faces were all hidden by masks they knew who wasn't there. They could just tell he was missing. Joe Pipkin, the greatest boy who ever lived, the boy who never ever sat still was not with them.The boys go to Pipkin's house. When he comes out, he is not his usual perky self. He tells his friends to go on, that he will meet them at the place of the Haunts. At a spooky house situated there, they meet Mr. Moundshroud and find his Halloween tree. Pipkin appears in the distance much later, but is whisked away from them by a dark something. Mr. Moundshroud takes them backwards on a journey through time and space to save their friend, Pipkin, from certain death and to learn the history and meaning of Halloween.Part of their journey takes them through ancient Egypt, where they learned how death was part of everyday life, where Halloween seemed to take place each day.The Grecian Isles are visited. There black molasses was painted on the doorposts so visiting ghosts would stick to them and not be able to come indoors.They saw the festival of Samhain in England, as well as other festivals in different parts of Europe. In each place visited, their friend, Pipkin, would appear. All the time afraid that they will never see him again, they chase after him each time.They chase him on to the Notre Dame in Paris, France, then on to Mexico. I'm not going to tell you how the story ends - that just wouldn't be right. There is no way that I could adequately convey to you just how unique this Halloween story is.The ending is good and it is a suitable book for children of all ages. If one is easily scared, there is a slight chance it could be frightening, but only a slight chance. Only in one's imagination could the events in this story ever take place.Each place they stop, creepy Mr. Moundshroud shares with the boys the unique customs surrounding death. Since Mr. Moundshroud represents death, he would know about every custom surrounding death at anytime in history.The Halloween Tree was written by Ray Bradbury, a master of fantasy and science fiction. First published in 1972, it is a classic tale to be enjoyed by young and old alike.I was surprised that I had never in my life heard of this tale, especially since I am such an avid reader. Ray Bradbury's unique description of events and surroundings is refreshing and easy to read. Families would enjoy reading the 145 pages of The Halloween Tree together.

The title should say enough. This book is Bradbury.The name Ray Bradbury, to me (and I’m certain many others) is synonymous with magical prose, unlimited imagination, nostalgia, a sense of wonder and awe, and an adolescent view of the world that never forgets how joyous the years of our childhood are, and how lucky each of us older readers is to have experienced our own magical years.Bradbury. A man who weaves stories as if each word was a special ingredient to a recipe that would not quite be the same if it were replaced with another.Bradbury. Who writes in some of the most unusual similes that I’ve ever read. Among his many gifts, this might be his biggest. Literally right this moment, I’m going to open my book. To page . . . 50: “Somewhere, a mummy dreamed, coughed in its sleep, unraveled a bandage, twitched its dusty tongue and turned over for another thousand year snooze.”Let’s go to page . . . 66. “Darkness moved down the Mediterranean shores. From the tombs, like mist, the dead spirits wavered in soot and black plumes along the streets to be caught in the dark tar that smeared the porch sills. The wind mourned, as if telling the anguish of the trapped dead.”Bradbury. The man can spin a sentence like no other.I’ll be frank. This book was always going to be five stars. I love Halloween, and Autumn, and Bradbury is the best author for this season. Unless I found it unbearably boring or bad, this was destined to be five stars.It’s not boring, it’s exciting, it’s smart, it’s nostalgic, it’s a story only Ray Bradbury could have written, and it’s a fantastic tale for this time of year. My one gripe is that a younger me didn’t first read this while in grade school.