The Halloween Tree

September 29, 2008
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.

September 26, 2005
First published by Knopf in 1972, Bradbury's classic Halloween story for readers "11 and up" is now available with substantial cuts to the text restored. This deluxe edition includes a splendid introductory essay by Bradbury scholar Jonathan R. Eller; facsimiles of the 1967 screenplay and the 1971 novel in progress with numerous hand corrections; the 1972 final novel submission with a table of galley changes and extensive notes; and the 1992 teleplay. A special delight are the charming drawings by the author in addition to all the original art by Joseph Mugnaini. This is a beautiful book, a must-have for every Bradbury aficionado.