I made this image before I dyed my hair purple and cut it different. I want to fix it, but it is a lot of work.
Honesty time: I started reading The Halloween Tree so I could blog about it… last month. You know, for the month of Halloween celebrations. But this isn’t the only book I was/am reading and I lapsed in some of my reading times (ignored them, completely). Thus, I didn’t finish this book until a little before today (Wednesday).
Enough about me, more about the book. I love/hate Bradbury. For starters, he’s totally to blame for my being set adrift in space fear. This makes it hard for me to watch some movies and the reason I refused to watch that one television show that didn’t last… And if you think I’m joking, (sadly) I am not. Great. Talking about this, totes know what kind of nightmares I’m going to have tonight.
Since I covered the hate, let’s talk about the love. I had to read a lot of him in elementary school. Despite that, didn’t hate him. (Bradbury and Greek mythology were my two loves in elementary school.) I looked forward to reading more of his work. The stories made me want to live among the stars even if at times it was terrifying.
He may be the “Dumb Dog,” but he can smell the goodness of THE HALLOWEEN TREE.
That said, I somehow missed reading The Halloween Tree. Sure, I saw the cartoon… (And how the hell is it my friends had no clue it existed, yet they read the book?!) I just didn’t read it.
That’s why I picked up off my shelf (it was right there next to R is for Rocket). As I read, I learned that since elementary school that part of me hasn’t changed. I loved his writing. I love the book. I loved the Halloween-ness of it all. And I mourned his passing and leaving us even more. That last bit is perfectly fitting given the book’s story.
If you haven’t go read it now or, if you must wait, next Halloween.
Let's Conect! 
Gloria Weber 
Bradbury’s stories have a way of sticking with you. I remember one of his short stories about a baby who was a blue triangle because it was stuck in a different dimension. I also remember the one about the people living on Venus who locked the girl in the closet and she missed seeing the sun (a rare event on Venus). I’ll have to check out Halloween Tree. Maybe as a part of the Holiday Book Read.
He’s an awesome writer. I hope if you get time to read it, you enjoy it. 🙂
I’m one of those people who saw the cartoon as well, but never read the book…guess I’ll have to remedy that! 🙂 Thanks for the review!
There are differences from the cartoon (obviously there would be). Hannah Barbera had to make the changes it did because of market and “today’s society.” For example… In the book there are no girls living in the town at all. I think if it was written in today’s climate, people would kick up a fuss about it from the start with stuff like “That impossible.” and “So sexist.” And others out there would freak out that the person dressed like a witch is boy (something the cartoon changed). So yeah, it was very interesting to read knowing the cartoon.
I hope you enjoy reading the book. 🙂