Horror NovelsNo. 3051 · The 2026 edition
The Halloween Tree
Discover the magical tale of a group of boys who travel through history to save their friend from a sinister creature on Halloween night.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at en.wikipedia.org.
The Halloween Tree is a story about eight boys who, on Halloween, follow their friend Pip into a mysterious house. There, they meet a strange character named Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, who takes them on a wild journey through time and space to witness the origins of Halloween. They must save Pip from the evil creature that has taken him, learning about the holiday's history and traditions along the way.
About this
This page covers The Halloween Tree, Ray Bradbury's 1972 fantasy novel tracing the history of Samhain and Halloween. It summarizes the plot, the book's origins as a 1967 screenplay, its illustrators, screen adaptations, and the annual Halloween Tree displayed at Disneyland.
Facts from the original
- The Halloween Tree is a 1972 fantasy novel by American author Ray Bradbury.
- It traces the history of Samhain and Halloween.
- It was published by Alfred A. Knopf and runs 160 pages.
- The novel was adapted as a 1993 film.
- An annual Halloween Tree has been exhibited at Disneyland in California since 2007.
- The novel originated in 1967 as the screenplay for an unproduced collaboration with animator Chuck Jones.
- Bradbury wrote and narrated Hanna-Barbera's 1993 feature-length animated version and won an Emmy Award for it.
- A longer 2005 limited-edition 'author's preferred text' was compiled and edited by Donn Albright and included both the 1967 and 1993 screenplays.
- Bradbury dedicated the book to Man'ha Garreau-Dombasle (1898-1999).
- The 1993 film script won the 1994 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program.
- A Warner Bros. film adaptation is in development with Will Dunn screenwriting and Charlie Morrison overseeing.
- On October 31, 2007, Bradbury attended the presentation of a Halloween Tree at Disneyland in California.
- The book is illustrated by Joe Mugnaini, and a 2015 edition features illustrations by Gris Grimly.
