Clay Bonnyman Evans

The Christmas season didn't seem the same to Stephen following his father's remarriage to Deborah, his new Jewish stepmother. The young boy found it difficult to adjust to being part of a blended, interfaith family, and even his beloved dog, Dewey, didn't seem to get along with the pet cat that came with their new living situation. Storming out after yet another spat between dog and cat, Stephen went for a walk in the nearby woods, encountering Mathilda—the mysterious old woman whom he had heard described as a witch by his new stepbrother, Ari. Wise in her ways, Mathilda brought Stephen home for some hot chocolate (after having him chop a hole in the icy pond for her), and slowly drew him out about his discontent. Watching the wildlife coming to the hole in the pond to drink, Mathilda shared her thoughts about the meaning of the season, and of its major holidays—about the importance of light to Christmas, Hanukkah and Yule—leaving Stephen in a much better frame of mind, as he headed home...

Published in 2005, The Winter Witch appears to be author Clay Bonnyman Evans' only children's book, although he has also written and published a number of works for adults. Illustrator Robert Bender, on the other hand, has written and illustrated quite a few other titles for young people, including one other witchy picture-book—the 1992 A Little Witch Magic, which I have read and enjoyed. Not surprisingly, given my interest in picture-books and other heavily illustrated texts featuring witches—a perennial pet project of mine—I sought this one out solely because of the witchy content. That being said, Mathilda strikes me as more of a Wiccan/Neo-Pagan kind of witch, than a magical one, and the story here is more about the drama of a blended family, and learning to find common ground between different religious belief systems, than it is about anything fantastical. The story is engaging enough, and might strike a chord with children in a similar situation, although I didn't connect with it emotionally, and don't think it is destined to become a favorite. The artwork has a darkly impressionistic quality, and is interesting, but somehow not quite to my taste. Something about the human faces just felt a little off to me. On the whole I am glad I tracked this one down, but I think I would recommend it more as a story about interfaith families at the holidays, than as any sort of witchy tale.… (meer)