NICHOLI

It is Christmas Day, when the residents of a mountain village traditionally gather to sculpt the snow. A stranger named Nicholi appears, sculpting at a fast rate and creating a magical sleigh and reindeer. He takes the children for a ride above the world, where they ``reach the horizon'' and share their air space with all the ice sculptures that were depicted earlier. They touch down in time for dinner; the reindeer and Nicholi vanish, with only his richly decorated clothing left behind. Edens (Santa Cow Studios, 1995, etc.) demonstrates the shadow that falls between the intent to invoke Christmas magic and its execution, with flat prose, featureless characterizations, and a pointless story. Banfill's winter landscapes are outstanding, but his people are so stiffly and meticulously painted that they are more like wax figures than characters to care about. (Picture book. 4-7)