Customer Reviews

The Ghost-Eye Tree (Owlet Book)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is well written and superbly illustrated, as perfect a match of word tone and illustration as you can find. My 3 year old daughter quite enjoys the spooky mood, the scary ghost-eye tree, and the haunting refrain, "Oooo... I dreaded to go... I dreaded the tree... Why does Mama always choose me when the night is so dark and the mind runs free?" This is a year-round book, not just for the Halloween season.

In response to the reviewer who says the language is harsh, I can agree with that although let me add that it is rather realistic (although not to be encouraged) given the ages of the sister and brother in the book. My remedy is that when the sister says, "stupid," I instead read aloud the word "silly" in its place.

We also greatly enjoy the book Barn Dance by the same group of authors/illustrators. Barn Dance is different in that it has an actual supernatural element and is less a spooky book and more a book of wonder/imagination with a touch of friendly spookiness.

The authors Bill Martin and John Archambault present a haunting and well-paced story of a young boy's relationship with a "ghost"tree.

Ted Rand's pictures match the story very well. You can feel the atmosphere and tension in his illustrations. Feel the icy wind blowing through the ghost tree. Read this book to get into the mood for Halloween. A great picture book with interesting text.

I remember hearing this story for the first time at the Witworth Writing Rally my Mom took me to yearly when I was a child. I liked The Ghost-Eye Tree a lot,because it scared me so much (my family lived out in the woods, and I was often sent outside to the garage at night to get pellets for our stove, so I understood the character's fear well) and when given my choice of which book to buy when the Writing Rally was coming to an end for the day, I chose this one without hesitation.
As I grew up, I proceeded to read this book until it simply fell apart and was lost.
In my adulthood, I couldn't stop recalling this book fondly every year at Halloween and finally bought myself another copy. The book doesn't scare me anymore, but it's still a well written little story, with great illustrations, and brings back good memories (even those scary garage trips are fondly remembered now lol). A great story to read out loud to kids at Halloween!

This is one of those books that you look forward to reading to your kids each and every autumn. It is a great build up to Halloween and all the spooky things that happen that time of year. Look out when the trees lose their leaves and take on ghostly shapes and the wind begins to howl through their now grasping hands!!!

This is a longer read-aloud, which makes sense because it might be just a little too spooky and frightening for younger kids. (If you have a very sensitive child, read first before buying, as always.)

If you're going for a spooky book (that realistically is just what the kid thinks is there instead of any actual ghosts or monsters) for the 5 - 8 age range, this is a good one. The illustrations, the language - it all creates a perfect mind-picture of what's going on.

I will note that the sister does tease her brother, calling him stupid and whatnot. I don't alter the language when reading, that's absurd - it's not words that hurt, it's the attitudes when they're spoken. We instead use words like this in books as a stepping stone for discussion. (Besides, it's little details like sibling squabbles that give a book its realism.)

I am a mom and a teacher and I LOVE this book. I think it MUST be read aloud. The text is lyrical and the illustrations are beautiful. Kids really enjoy listening to it.

Quite an enjoyable book to read to young children between 4 and 8. Your kids will want you to read this story over and over again. They will follow the suspense, reciting along with the rhythmic flow of the story. Highly recommended!

This is a very scary story that just might scare you. A mother asks her two little children to go and get her a pale of milk on the other side of town. They tell themselves that they are not scared of the Ghost-Eye tree that is in the middle of the town. Nothing seems to be going wrong until the end when they are on their way back home. It might frighten you, but if you are a person who likes a spooky ending this is a great book for you to read.

Josh V.

Ghost-Eye Tree is a marvelous book to read as a substitute for a Halloween story. It's a tale of what the imagination can do on a dark walk past a big tree to get a pail of milk as well as a comment on sibling relationships.

I first heard this story in kindergarten. Now, 18 years later, it is still my favorite children's book, and I absolutely love to read it every Halloween. I look forward to reading it to my own kids one day. Bill Martin, Jr., was a wonderful children's author; I would recommend any of his books to parents and teachers. Sadly, The Ghost-Eye Tree isn't available in too many bookstores or libraries anymore--a shame.