THE WINTER WITCH

In this earnest commemoration of winter holidays in general, a lad soured on Christmas, now that he has a Jewish stepmother and stepbrother, changes his attitude after meeting Mattie, an elderly neighbor who offers sage advice. “[N]o matter what you call it—Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule or just plain winter—it’s a time to comfort others and shed light on darkness, whether from lights on a tree, menorah candles or a glowing Yule log. For wild creatures, there’s just starlight. But, Stephen, it’s all one light.” Bender is better at depicting the wildlife that passes through Mattie’s yard than he is with human figures, but his illustrations, all dark shadows, rich colors and sprayed or spattered textures, give the episode a suitably solemn air. The ecumenical message is a worthy one to contemplate, though it’s so heavily delivered that the tale rather staggers along. (Picture book. 8-10)