Alfred A. Knopf, NY, 1972 - First Edition black cloth Hardcover, orange mask/face on front board, orange & silver gilt lettering on spine, 149 pp. SIGNED by Bradbury on label on front pastedown. A nifty fantasy by Bradbury about Halloween, kids, and time-travel, with numerous really great, spooky illustrations by Joseph Mugnaimi. A fine copy of book. Unclipped DJ ($3.95 price) has touch of crinkling/blunting at top & bottom of spine. Almost as new. Sharp-cornered, tight, and bright. Very light rubbing of DJ and fading of DJ along spine. Seller Inventory # 000125

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Bibliographic Details

Title: The Halloween Tree

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, New York, New York

Publication Date: 1972

Binding: Decorative Cloth

Illustrator: Joseph Mugniani

Condition: Fine

Dust Jacket Condition: Fine

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: First Edition

About this title

Synopsis:

ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT, eight trick-or-treaters gather at the haunted house by the edge of town, ready for adventure. But when Something whisks their friend Pip away, only one man, the sinister Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, can help the boys find him. "If you want to know what Halloween is, or if you simply want an eerie adventure, take this mysteryhistory trip. You couldn't ask for better than master fantasizer Ray Bradbury," raves The Boston Globe.

Originally published in 1972, this handsome hardcover reissue celebrates its 35th anniversary. It's the perfect gift for fans of Harry Potter and Philip Pullman.

Review:

Special indeed are holiday stories with the right mix of high spirits and subtle mystery to please both adults and children--Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," for example. Or Ray Bradbury's classic The Halloween Tree. Eight boys set out on a Halloween night and are led into the depths of the past by a tall, mysterious character named Moundshroud. They ride on a black wind to autumn scenes in distant lands and times, where they witness other ways of celebrating this holiday about the dark time of year. Bradbury's lyrical prose whooshes along with the pell-mell rhythms of children running at night, screaming and laughing, and the reader is carried along by its sheer exuberance.

Bradbury's stories about children are always attended by dread--of change, adulthood, death. The Halloween Tree, while sweeter than his adult literature, is also touched at moments by the cold specter of loss--which is only fitting, of course, for a holiday in honor of the waning of the sun.

This is a superb book for adults to read to children, a way to teach them, quite painlessly, about customs and imagery related to Halloween from ancient Egypt, Mediterranean cultures, Celtic Druidism, Mexico, and even a cathedral in Paris. (One caveat, though: Bradbury unfortunately perpetuates a couple of misconceptions about Samhain, or summer's end, the Halloween of ancient Celts and contemporary pagans.) This beautiful reprint edition has the original black-and-white illustrations and a new color painting on the dust jacket. --Fiona Webster

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

I am not a professional bookseller or dealer. I'm a book lover and have been collecting books since the early 1950s, but now age and finances require transferring them into other hands who can appreciate them. For now, most sale books are in the horror, SF, fantasy, and mystery fiction categories. Many of these books were purchased from specialized dealers such as Gerry de la Ree and Robert Weinberg, others directly from publishers such as Donald M. Grant and Underwood-Miller. I corresponded with some authors, including August Derleth and Joseph Payne Brennan (I was on my way to visit Derleth in early July, 1971, when I learned that he had just died.) I plan to list additional items in horror/SF, crime fiction, the environment, geology, general fiction, topographic maps, artwork, and lots more. All items, including their condition, will be described as accurately as possible. I'm just getting started, so be patient and keep checking for more books and information.

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JAC Books
NY, U.S.A.

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Nearly all items are one-of-a-kind and are sold on a first come, first served basis. Remittance on the AbeBooks.com website may be by credit card (Visa or Mastercard). I also accept PayPal. In the event of delays in payment receipt, or at the buyer’s request, I will hold your item(s) for up to 10 days. You may inquire about books or other issues by e-mail. Please clearly identify the item(s) you are asking about.

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For standard shipping in the U.S. via USPS MEDIA MAIL I ask $4.00 for one or more books in that shipment. You will be notified if extra shipping costs are needed (e.g., international shipments, heavy or oversized books, or special handling). I will pay for insurance for more valuable books. Reduced shipping costs may be available for small, light-weight items such as pamphlets and pocketbooks. USPS PRIORITY shipping in the U.S. is available but the cost varies depending on weight and destination. For example, USPS charges for nearby Priority shipping are in the $8-13 range for one book; a 5.5-lb package (1 large book) to San Diego, CA cost $29.20. Add what you think is fair and I will let you know if additional shipping will be needed.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING costs are also highly variable. For example, a package under 2 pounds currently costs around $24 to ship to many countries (UK, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, etc). If weight exceeds 2 pounds, cost typically rises to around $40. If the weight exceeds 4 lbs, it will need to be shipped Priority which often starts around $60 and goes up from there. Wish I could be more specific.

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