Review: The Halloween Tree

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars 

For the Tree was hung with a variety of pumpkins of every shape and size and a number of tints and hues of smoky yellow or bright orange. “A pumpkin tree,” someone said. “No,” said Tom. The wind blew among the high branches and tossed their bright burdens, softly. “A Halloween Tree,” said Tom. 

I ended up really loving this! It was a fast paced flight of fancy with just the right amount of light spookiness. The story starts off with eight boys, dressed in different costumes, skeleton, witch, gargoyle, etc. Although we do get all the boys' names, their pov is mostly led by Tom Skelton. The exuberance of the boys is felt as they set off to go trick or treating. 

The house beckoned with its towers, invited with its gummed-shut doors. Pirate ships are a tonic. Ancient forts are a boon. But a house, a haunted house, on All Hallows’ Eve? Eight small hearts beat up an absolute storm of glory and approbation. 

Their Halloween night was planned with a haunted house visit when they realize their fun leader, Pipkin is missing. They stop at his house and he comes out holding his side, looking pale, and obviously not feeling well. They're worried but also thirteen year old boys and when Pipkin says he's fine, they take off running to start their night as Pipkin says he'll catch up. 

For coming up out of the pile of leaves was a bony white hand, all by itself. And following it, all smiles, hidden one moment but now revealed as it slid upward, was a white skull. 

At the house, the door is answered by a creepy man who says trick instead of treat and their attention gets drawn to the tree in the yard. It has hundreds of pumpkins that seem to come alive and a Halloween song is sung that I wish was on Amazon music so I could play it on Halloween. There are a couple other songs in this and the writing style overall has a musical beat to it that I thought held the fast pace really well. After the song, a skeleton being rises out of a pile leaves (very Jake Skellington-ish sounding) and when a Dark Something steals away Pipkin who finally makes an appearance, asks them if the boys want to go on an adventure to save Pipkin and learn what Halloween means. Who could say no?? 

“All the more reason for you to come along, lads. If we fly fast, maybe we can catch Pipkin. Grab his sweet Halloween corn-candy soul. Bring him back, pop him in bed, toast him warm, save his breath. What say, lads? Would you solve two-mysteries-in-one? Search and seek for lost Pipkin, and solve Halloween, all in one fell dark blow?”

Is there a harder hitting line for the month of October than “Grab his sweet Halloween corn-candy soul.”?? NO. The boys are game and fly off with the being calling himself Mr. Moundshroud. This is probably where the story loses some readers, the boys fly back in history to the time of the Egyptian pyramids. Pipkin is the mummy being put into the sarcophagus! This trend continues as the boys are flown by Mr. Moundshroud to Greece, Italy, England, France, and Mexico. Pipkin is at turns a mummy, dog, and knocker, each time the boys learning about the origins of Halloween and how it has morphed and been shaped by the time period and culture celebrating it. It was a little lesson on hows and whys of humans creating their own mythos. I also liked how each of the boys' costumes was a small representation of the different periods and cultural tie-ins; the gargoyle fit with Notre Dame, the witch for the Druid ceremony. There was also a line when Mr. Moundshroud was talking about prehistoric humans and how in their understanding “ghosts” came about, Memories, that’s what ghosts are, that I thought was touching. 

“But, stop and think. What does the word ‘witch’ truly mean?” 

“Why—” said Tom, and was stymied. 

“Wits,” said Moundshroud. “Intelligence. That’s all it means. Knowledge. So any man , or woman, with half a brain and with inclinations toward learning had his wits about him, eh? And so, anyone too smart, who didn’t watch out, was called—” 

“A witch!” said everyone. 

When they got to their last destination, Mexico, around 60% I did think the loose, somewhat chaotic dancing style and pace was starting to need more structure but the adding in of more emotion to talking about and having the boys discover El Dia de los Muertos made up for some of the wildness. This is where their journey to save Pipkin comes to ahead as he's trapped in a catacomb and the little darkness that was emitting from Mr. Moundshroud rears its head. As with many a journey, friendships are tested, prices are paid, and we are given an ending that fit the learning, fun, spooky, and at times dark tone. 

“Well,” asks Moundshroud at journey’s end, “which was it? A Trick or a Treat?” 

“Both!” all agree. 

This is a story I could see myself reading every October, it's short, fast paced, fun, and brings some spooky vibes. The sing-song writing style and chaotic structure won't be for some but I'm wanting to add the Halloween Tree song to my playlist.

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