Young Esther has earned a special gragger (whirling noisemaker) by delivering charitable gifts on Purim, a Jewish holiday based on the story of Queen Esther. Now she is ready to carry her gragger in the festive Purim parade! Like the legendary Queen, Esther displays courage and wit when an older bully tries to steal her gragger. The lively cast of characters quibble and carouse in a bygone world of warmth, surprise, and generosity. There is even a parade for children only. The appendix helps readers understand the history of Purim, how it is celebrated today, what a "gragger" is, and how to make a simple noisemaker. Following the award-winning The Dreidel That Wouldn't Spin, author Martha Seif Simpson and illustrator D. Yael Bernhard have again created a new toyshop tale of playful language and images that hint at ancient roots and hidden meanings, which are just waiting for young readers to find. This is a tale ideal for reading aloud for fun, but also for learning.
No one has written a review for 'Esther's Gragger: A Toyshop Tale of Purim'
Why not be the first to share your opinion?
Martha Seif Simpson is head of children's services at Stratford Library Association in Stratford, Connecticut. Lynne Perrigo is a children's librarian in Westport, Connecticut. She is also a storyteller and white-face clown.
More about Martha Seif SimpsonMartha Seif Simpson is an author and children's librarian. She has served as the Head of Children's Services at the Stratford Library Association in Stratford, CT for the last twenty years. She is the author of five professional books for teachers and librarians. Her first children's book What NOT to Give Your Mom on Mother's Day was released in 2013. She li
More about Durga Yael Bernhard
