Rating: 
Summary: Haunting as Mr. Moundshroud
Review: "Halloween Tree" recaptures the surreal spookiness of a child's Halloween with the knowledge of an adult. One of Ray Bradbury's relatively few books for children is a wildly imaginative ride, with a strong subtext about friendship and death itself.
Eight young boys congregate to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night; the only one missing is Pipkin, the universal favorite (Bradbury devotes an entire chapter to singing Pip's praises). Pipkin does show up, but he acts strangely and isn't wearing a costume. When they show up at the House, a haunted edifice, they find the sinister, skeletal Mr. Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud and an enormous tree hung with jack-o-lanterns -- a Halloween tree. Pipkin appears nearby, and then is carried off into the darkness.
To save Pip, Moundshroud takes the boys on a strange trip through time and space, through history and across the world. He shows them the death-related rituals that spawned Halloween: Egypt's mummies, the Celtic Samhain and its lord of the dead, the Christian All Hallows Eve, the Mexican El Dia De Muerte, and others. Through time and across the world, they chase Pipkin and try to save him -- but what can they do against death?
Halloween books are generally the realm of the under-eight crowd. At a certain point in life, it's just hard to recapture that magic -- it's like a darker version of Christmas. But Ray Bradbury, who has been captivating people with his dark-edged fantasy for years, presents a uniquely gothic, uplifting story in this book.
Ray Bradbury's deft touch keeps this particular story from becoming too leaden and heavy-handed. Kids will be fascinated by the origins of Halloween, a holiday now relegated to candy and costumes; the descriptions of different cultures and what helped shape the Halloween we know today are handled excellently. He also does not become judgemental about any of the cultures, such as ancient Romans, Celts, and Christians, but merely presents how civilizations rise and fall, and how their traditions linger on.
None of the boys are really developed too intricately, and remain simply young brave boys who are willing to go through the fire for their friend. Mr. Moundshroud is alternately sinister or kindly: considering who he turns out to be, the sinisterness is not surprising, but he also sympathizes with the boys and allays their fears. The writing is excellent, almost dreamlike, with the sort of delightful overkill that characterizes really good spinechillers. The descriptions of the House and the Halloween tree are the best examples of this.
"Halloween Tree" succeeds in being a good fantasy, a good spinechiller, a good glimpse back in history, and an excellent story about friendship all in one. A wonderful read, and not just for Halloween either.
Rating: 
Summary: Haunting as Mr. Moundshroud
Review: "Halloween Tree" recaptures the surreal spookiness of a child's Halloween with the knowledge of an adult. The result is a whirlwind fantasy spinechiller that children and adults alike will enjoy.Eight young boys congregate to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night; the only one missing is Pipkin, the universal favorite (Bradbury devotes an entire chapter to singing Pip's praises). Pipkin does show up, but he acts strangely and isn't wearing a costume. When they show up at the House, a haunted edifice, they find the sinister, skeletal Mr. Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud and an enormous tree hung with jack-o-lanterns -- a Halloween tree. Pipkin appears nearby, and then is carried off into the darkness. To save Pip, Moundshroud takes the boys on a strange trip through time and space, through history and across the world. He shows them the death-related rituals that spawned Halloween: Egypt's mummies, the Celtic Samhain and its lord of the dead, the Christian All Hallows Eve, the Mexican El Dia De Muerte, and others. Through time and across the world, they chase Pipkin and try to save him -- but what can they do against death? Ray Bradbury's deft touch keeps this particular story from becoming too leaden and heavy-handed. Kids will be fascinated by the origins of Halloween, a holiday now relegated to candy and costumes; the descriptions of different cultures and what helped shape the Halloween we know today are handled excellently. He also does not become judgemental about any of the cultures, such as ancient Romans, Celts, and Christians, but merely presents how civilizations rise and fall, and how their traditions linger on. None of the boys are really developed too intricately, and remain simply young brave boys who are willing to go through the fire for their friend. Mr. Moundshroud is alternately sinister or kindly: considering who he turns out to be, the sinisterness is not surprising, but he also sympathizes with the boys and allays their fears. The writing is excellent, almost dreamlike, with the sort of delightful overkill that characterizes really good spinechillers. The descriptions of the House and the Halloween tree are the best examples of this. "Halloween Tree" succeeds in being a good fantasy, a good spinechiller, a good educational book, and an excellent story about friendship all in one. A wonderful read, and not just for Halloween either.
Rating:
Summary: The Halloween Tree
Review: ...
THE HALLOWEEN TREE
BOOK REVIEW ..."A Pumpkin tree," cried out a voice
"No" exclaimed Tom.
The wind blew among the high branches
and tossed their bright burdens, softly.
"A halloween tree" said Tom.
...And he was right. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury is a science fiction classic. The fantastic tale takes you on a wonderful and exciting journey through strange and distant lands on an epic search for a frightened and baffled young boy.
Leading the expedition is a mystical character who goes by the name of Mr. Moundshround. His enchanting and mysterious personality is lifted off the pages by Ray Bradbury's poetic and inventive writing style that keeps you wanting more.The book is full of many emotions and feelings that let the characters come alive and make you feel as though a new world has just opened up to you.
The book is filled with frightening passages, powerful illustrations, and breath taking imagery. The Halloween Tree is a must read science fiction book, that most definitely is for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Experience the true history of Halloween!
Review: A novel that is scary, suspenseful, full of history and not boring. Bradbury captures the excitement of Halloween in a small midwestern town as a group of friends prepare for a night they will never forget. The atmosphere of Halloween and why children love it so are all described and one is taken back to another time. If you have ever wondered why we dress as witches or monsters or wondered if the rest of the world celebrates Halloween then this is the book for you. The video is also excellent and is narrated by Leonard Nimoy.
Rating:
Summary: Not scary enough
Review: Although this book was very interesting, I was hoping that there will be more tension, excitement, and suspense while I was reading. This story is about a boy who was captured and taken back in time. His friends were waiting for him in a haunted house, but when they discovered about why Pipkin was vanished, they decide to go with a guy named Moundshroud to save Pipkin and to also learn why and how Halloween started. So as the boys traveled back in time, they kept losing Pipkin and had to travel into another era of time to find him again. There were many events that had happened in this book, but none of them have a lot of suspense in which I was hoping it has. I think this book should've had a better title or cover to fit the story.
Rating:
Summary: Eternity's breath...
Review: An often ignored work of genius from the Master. Bradbury's Neo-Pagan/Quantum Reality view of the universe is presented here in a truly spellbinding allegory. However one interprets the metaphorical journeys and the symbols of eternal recurrence, you cannot fail to be impressed by the man's vision and passion for Life and Truth. While briefly flying through the equivalents of Halloween in different cultures, Bradbury also subtly honours the millions who were slaughtered under the tyranny of the Old Church during the Inquisition. As he clearly shows, our only real enemy is bigotry and superstition. This wonderful book can be a learning experience for adults and children alike and is certainly one of RB's most original and exciting pieces. A modern classic.
Rating:
Summary: Perennial favorite for this dark time of year
Review: Every year, every single October, I reread this book which my parents gave to me when I was a young child. It is lyrical and evocative of the time when we were children and thought of Halloween as magical. The streets of the town as Halloween begins, the haunted house where Moundshroud lives, the ancient rituals we are led through by Bradbury, the travel through time and history, the underlying message that death will eventually come for us all -- it is ominous yet strangely comforting to read every time. It is not like his other books, but it is a must-read for all of his fans.
Rating:
Summary: Perennial favorite for this dark time of year
Review: Every year, every single October, I reread this book which my parents gave to me when I was a young child. It is lyrical and evocative of the time when we were children and thought of Halloween as magical. The streets of the town as Halloween begins, the haunted house where Moundshroud lives, the ancient rituals we are led through by Bradbury, the travel through time and history, the underlying message that death will eventually come for us all -- it is ominous yet strangely comforting to read every time. It is not like his other books, but it is a must-read for all of his fans.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Classic
Review: Halloween is fast approaching. A recent conversation with a stranger in the lands beyond Avalon regarding the holiday and its origins have made me decide to review another old book that some may have overlooked. The book is called THE HALLOWEEN TREE and was written by Ray Bradbury. This book tells the story of a group of small boys and a dangerous adventure they all share one Halloween with a spooky character named Clarence Clavicle Moundshroud. Much of the tale is taken up by the search for a missing friend. But while the plot is simple and originally aimed at younger readers the book has a second level. The second level concerns Halloween and its history. But it also touches on similar celebrations in other cultures, such as the Mexican Day of the Dead, and the common origins for these festivals. While the story is entertaining it manages to keep you from realizing just how much you are learning when reading the book. THE HALLOWEEN TREE was adapted for television at one point but I feel that production just doesn't hold a candle (or jack-o-lantern) to the book.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Classic
Review: Halloween is fast approaching. A recent conversation with a stranger in the lands beyond Avalon regarding the holiday and its origins have made me decide to review another old book that some may have overlooked. The book is called THE HALLOWEEN TREE and was written by Ray Bradbury. This book tells the story of a group of small boys and a dangerous adventure they all share one Halloween with a spooky character named Clarence Clavicle Moundshroud. Much of the tale is taken up by the search for a missing friend. But while the plot is simple and originally aimed at younger readers the book has a second level. The second level concerns Halloween and its history. But it also touches on similar celebrations in other cultures, such as the Mexican Day of the Dead, and the common origins for these festivals. While the story is entertaining it manages to keep you from realizing just how much you are learning when reading the book. THE HALLOWEEN TREE was adapted for television at one point but I feel that production just doesn't hold a candle (or jack-o-lantern) to the book.
|
