In the audio drama The Hollow (by Gen-Z media), The town of Sleepy Hollow for the 200th anniversary of the classic tale plans a big Halloween celebration. Amid the excitement, sightings of the headless horseman and strange happenings begin in the town. Jack, Jill, and Aaron, 3 local 6th graders, find parallels with their lives and the story all too haunting. Together they discover the headless horseman may not be the villain the story makes him out to be.
This is a fun modern Halloween tale squarely aimed at kids. If you have kids that love spooky Halloween stuff but are too young for horror movies, or you just don’t want them exposed to violence, it is a good spooky tale. This podcast is an alternative to gory Halloween horror.
Most episodes are short, under 20 minutes, so it is easy for younger kids and busy adults to listen to the tale. The story feels just the right length, not too long but still a full tale. I liked the humor and the use of a modern text to speech app.
The story does assume the listener knows the entire Sleepy Hollow tale. If anyone listening doesn’t already know the story, at the very least find a summary online. (Three Pagans and a Cat read the Tale as part of one of their storytelling episodes.) No, I am not talking about the Tim Burton movie.
If you’re looking for something to listen to with your own mini monsters, or simply don’t want a gory Halloween tale, the Hollow will be a pleasure.