The Halloween Tree

by Ray Bradbury, Joseph Mugnaini (Illustrator)

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 the cemeteries of Mexico on el Día de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Is Pip still alive? And if so, can his friends save him from a ghastly fate before it’s too late?

"If you want to know what Halloween is, or if you simply want an eerie adventure, take this mystery history trip. You couldn't ask for better than master fantasizer Ray Bradbury." —The Boston Globe

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375803017
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	09/07/1999
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	18,995
Product dimensions:	5.19(w) x 7.63(h) x 0.37(d)
Lexile:	800L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ray Bradbury lives in Los Angeles.
Joseph Mugnaini lives in California.

Hometown:

Los Angeles, California

Date of Birth:

August 22, 1920

Place of Birth:

Waukegan, Illinois

Education:

Attended schools in Waukegan, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California

Website:

http://www.raybradbury.com

Editorial Reviews

"If you want to know what Halloween is, or if you simply want an eerie adventure, take this mystery-history trip. You couldn't have a better guide than Ray Bradbury."—Boston Globe

From the Publisher

When young Pipkin becomes ill and is whisked away into the mysterious darkness of the Halloween tree, his friends must race through space and time to save him. With a peculiar old man named Moundshroud to guide them, the kids encounter the many earlier manifestations of the holiday known as Halloween. The voice talent for this production matches well with the predominant characters of young boys, and Jerry Robbins plays Moundshroud with a good eccentric and maniacal tone. While there are sound effects, they are mostly limited to ambient vocals in the background and wind, never utilizing the more calm-fracturing accoutrements like slamming doors or dishes breaking. A wealth of music complements the story and gives the listener a sense of plot progression, although some of the singing feels a bit overdone. (Sept.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly

One of America’s foremost storytellers, Ray Bradbury, spins this fairy-tale story of Halloween night and all the mystery it entails. Bronson Pinchot invests this short novel with a dignified air. Some boys who are out trick-or-treating lose one of their number and enlist a friendly spirit to help retrieve him from the land of the dead. The spirit transports them across the centuries to learn how fear of death has influenced the history of Halloween. Pinchot often whispers his narration to the point of inaudibility—this is not a book to listen to on a noisy commute. The spirit, Moundshroud, is the chief offender here, almost sighing his dialogue. While the boys are loud enough, they all sound similar. However, they’re usually named in the text, so lack of character differentiation isn’t a problem. A.Z.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2011 - AudioFile