The Halloween Tree

by Ray Bradbury

Book Overview

Make storytime a little spookier with fantasy master Ray Bradbury as he takes readers on a riveting trip though space and time to discover the true origins of Halloween.

Join the shadowy Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud as he takes eight trick-or-treaters on an unforgettable journey to find their missing friend, Pip. Travel through space and time, from the tombs of ancient Egypt to the gargoyles of Notre-Dame Cathedral, all the way to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375803017
• ISBN13: 9780375803017
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Yearling Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.2" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Captivating and thoughtful

One can sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s a great fast paced read. Yet, there are some really deep thoughts about death and the fear of death from all generations from all over the world. Ray Bradbury brings to the front what all humans hold in common.

Good condition

Was a little lopsided, but a great copy. A little bit of wear makes the book look a little more creepy, been wanting to read this for a while. Saving it for the spooky season!

Received book with different cover

Roses are red; violets are blue. I ordered a book for its cover, but received one that I already had.

A spiced cider tradition

Make no mistake- this is not a children's book. Nor is it an adult book. Rather, THE HALLOWEEN TREE is a book for everyone. The writing is simple and swift enough for a child, but complex and engaging for the adult. It's a Halloween tradition that everyone should instill on with their families... as nostalgic as spiced cider, apple bobbing or trick-or-treating on an October afternoon in the smoky pumpkin air.

Absolutely Gorgeous!!!!

I first tried to read this book when I was around the suggested reading age (about 12 years old). Now that I'm 18 I finally tuly appreciated this masterpiece. Never before have I seen the true essence of Halloween captured on paper so perfectly. Life and death, night and day, Autumn and Summer, courage and friendship, Halloween and all it's components are presented to the reader in fantastic imagery that will transport you back to those Halloween nights that we miss so much. The nights when you could taste the magic in the air. Bradbury is an artist and these 145 pages are his canvas. If you are a true fan of Halloween or want to become one this book is for you.

More than just a kid's book

You might want to dismiss this as one of Bradbury's lesser works because of the simplistic plot and writing style but that would be a mistake. What we have here is one of his most important books and one of his best. Taking cues from Dickens, Bradbury writes a timeless tale of Halloween that isn't carried along by dovetailing plottwists or dense knotted prose but simply a quest to save someone and the boundless exuburance of children. I literally finished this while waiting for a class to start and when I had a few pages left and class started I sat there and finished the book. Once you start reading it you can't stop, the momentum of is one of constant motion. And it's not a kids book, sure the themes of innocence are there but also are the more serious topics of death and darkness, as seen through the filters of a child. For all it's length it's a perfect book for the most part and one that deserves to be read every year together with a bunch of people. On Halloween of course

A poetic treat for those who love Halloween.

The Halloween Tree has captivated me since my first reading of this work when I was only nine years old. (That was 14 years ago for those of you who are wondering.) The book was a gift from my father, and little did he know at the time, that he gave me an example of some of the finest writing I have had the opportuniy to read, and a source of inspriation for my own writing. Ray Bradbury's command of the Englih language creates poetry within prose. The story is descriptive and lyrical, the characters vibrant and fantastic (especially Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, but you'll just have to read the book to find out who he is). I wish you as many happy readings of the Halloween Tree as I have had over the years.