This is a book I keep putting aside for other books that I prioritized during the official Halloween season. For a while I read Frankenstein every year, then I did Dracula, then I moved onto The Ghost which took a few seasons to get through. One year I read another of Ray Bradbury’s books, October Country, which quickly became a favorite.
This year I wanted to do something fun and since I’ve been trying audiobooks lately, I decided to find The Halloween Tree on audio and listen to it at the end of September.
Before I purchase audiobooks I always listen to a little bit of the sample (not too much) to make sure I can stand the cadence and pitch (?) of the narrator. I am sensitive to certain sounds and I can deal with this in everyday life, but I try not to spend money on and subject myself to it in my free time.
The Halloween Tree
When I did this, I guess the bit I reviewed was part of the narration, because I did not expect it to be a full dramatization including multiple voice actors, sound effects, and singing. I somehow missed the part that says full cast in the description (I admit: I don’t always read the description because I don’t want to be accidentally spoiled). I don’t know that I will listen to this version again, but I like having it as a backup and it’s uniquely special as the first time I heard this story.
The Halloween Tree is a wonderful Halloween tale that’s spooky, cute, funny, magical, and educational – a perfect kick-off to October. I am looking forward to finding a different version of it for next year, or reading the book I have on hand. I’ve also found out there’s a film to watch, so it looks like I’ve found a new Halloween tradition to tack onto my existing ones.