Esther's Gragger: A Toyshop Tale of Purim
"A Jewish holiday celebration takes on contemporary relevance."
~ Kirkus Reviews
Wisdom Tales Press, 2019
ISBN 978-1-937786-75-5
Price: $16.99
Hardcover 8" × 10" / 32 pages
Ages 4 and up
ACTIVITIES TO GO ALONG WITH THE BOOK
Storybook Lady included Esther's Gragger in her 2026 list of 25 Perfect Purim Children's Books. Here's what she said:
"Esther's Gragger is a delightful Purim story that reflects the merriment of costumes and graggers, but reminds us what the noise is all about. Esther loves her new gragger with the likeness of her namesake. When a bully tries to take it away, she stands up to him. She begins to make noise with her new gragger and others join in. Just like the noisemakers are used to drown out evil during the Purim story, graggers are used to drive away the bully. The young Esther stands up to the bully just as her namesake spoke out against evil long before. The afterward includes background on the holiday, current customs and graggers and even includes instructions for making your own noisemaker."
From the interview in Foreward Reviews:
"After The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin was published, I wanted to write another Toyshop Tale. I immediately thought of a gragger, a toy that is used as part of the Purim festivities. Next, I had to come up with a plot.
To me, the biblical Story of Esther has always been about how a brave young woman stood up to a bully in order to save her people from destruction. But how could I translate this theme into a story for children? Sadly, bullies still exist and many kids encounter them. During Purim services, when the Megillah is read, we spin graggers to drown out the name of wicked Haman whenever it’s mentioned in a symbolic attempt to erase evil. That gave me the idea to have a girl named Esther use the noise of a gragger to chase off a large boy who threatened her.
I wrote this story four years ago. Since then, the national climate of violence and intolerance has become even worse. I hope this story will resonate with readers of all beliefs, cultures, and lifestyles. To quote the shopkeeper, “We must never be afraid to take a stand against cruelty.”
FIVE STARS FROM FOREWARD REVIEWS!
Explore the history and traditions of the Jewish holiday of Purim in this modern-day tale of wisdom and courage set in a village toy shop where, just like Queen Esther, a little girl stands up for what is right. Create your own noisemaker, or gragger, from an old milk carton or make a tambourine from paper plates and join in the lively celebration, filled with food, drinks, friends, family, and lots of love and laughter.
Reviewed by Pallas Gates McCorquodale
January/February 2019