Tommy H. The Halloween Tree

This quarter I read The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. Over all I thought it was a great book for people who like adventure. This story is about a group of kids who love Halloween, but not the way other kids do. They only bother going to houses really in the spirit. However, on this Halloween their friend Pipkin is sick, but still promises to meet up with them later. Then he gives his friends the location of a very spooky house on the edge of town that was scarier than any house they had ever seen before. The trick-or-treaters find the house, but it was a lot scarier than they imagined. They knock on the door of the house and a man wearing all black clothing and had a pale face making himself look like a floating head answers.. "Er-trick or treat?" was the greeting from Tom the skeleton, "No treats, only-trick!" is the reply given from the the strange man. And now they see the tree, and it is a strange tree. It is taller than the house and has many branches with an assortment of colored leaves all over it. But the strangest part is there are pumpkins all over it."A pumpkin tree," says someone. Finally Tom says, "A Halloween tree." Each pumpkin in the tree has a face carved in it, and there is a lot of pumpkins. But strangest of all one by one the pumpkins started lighting on fire showing their fierce features. Now a few voices chant a mysterious song. Then the boys chant," Halloween...Tree." And out of nowhere a white skull rises before them. The skull chases them laughing, but then he reveiled himself he was the man in the dark clothes. This is what he means by trick.

The man introduces himself as Moundshroud. He asks the boys if they know the real reason they wear their costumes. This question baffles the boys, and they start asking them selves,"Why do I wear this costume." So Moundshroud said he can show them. They said they need to wait for Pipkin, and then Pipkin came running to them, but he falls, and the candle in his pumpkin goes out. Then something took Pipkin and was gone just as quick.

Then they go on a wild adventure through different times and places to find their friend. In every place they see him, but before they can get him he vanishes again. By they time they get to him in the last stop he is dead. To get him back they need to make an ultimate sacrifice. Will they make the sacrifice, or will they let Pipkin rest-in-peace?