Esther's Story

by Diane Wolkstein, Juan Wijngaard (Illustrator)

Retells the story of Esther, the queen who risked the wrath of a king to save her people from destruction, and whose courage and wisdom are celebrated during the feast of Purim

Genres: Picture Books, Religion, Biography, Jewish, Childrens, History, Holiday

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Diane Wolkstein was a folklorist and author of children's books. She also served as New York City's official storyteller from 1968–1971.

As New York's official storyteller, Wolkstein visited two of the city's parks each weekday, staging hundreds of one-woman storytelling events. After successfully talking her way into the position, she realized "there was no margin for error," she said in a 1992 interview. "I mean, it was a park. [The children would] just go somewhere else if they didn't like it."

She also had a radio show on WNYC, Stories From Many Lands, from 1968 until 1980, and she helped create the Storytelling Center of New York City.

Wolkstein authored two dozen books, primarily collections of folk tales and legends she gathered during research trips. She made many visits to China, Haiti and Africa.

Wolkstein was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. Her father Henry was an accountant and her mother Ruth was a librarian. She received a bachelor's degree from Smith College and a master's degree in education from Bank Street College of Education. While living in Paris, she studied mime under Étienne Decroux.

Wolkstein was in Taiwan to research a book of Chinese folk stories when she underwent emergency surgery for a heart condition. She died in the city of Kaohsiung at the age of 70.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good picture book for Purim, but probably with a limited audience. There is a lot of text for a picture book, and the author seems to assume some familiarity with the story and with Jewish history as depicted in the Bible, so I would recommend this primarily to Jewish kids of grade-school age. I have to say that this is a story with a lot of emotional potential, especially from the point of view of the young woman risking her life, and I felt nothing.



An added star for Juan Wijngaard's illustrations. I will be looking for more of his work.

[Melissa Coyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diane Wolkstein's retelling of the Biblical story of Queen Esther stays true to the original events in the Bible but creates empathy towards the queen and her people. Ester comes alive through this story and Juan Wijnaard's beautiful illustrations help paint this beautiful picture. This story of a young girl made to be a queen through her character qualities is a must read to children.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esther tells the story of Purim in the first person. This is an adaptation of the Biblical story, as some details are added that are not in Scripture, but that could have happened. The gouache paintings are gorgeous; people and objects beautifully executed, with details of Persian life. The illustrations are also surrounded by lovely gold marbled borders, like a picture frame.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if Esther had a diary? "Esther's Story" by Diane Wolkstein is a retelling of the biblical "Book of Esther" written in first person from Esther's point of view. This bible story is the basis for the holiday of Purim which celebrates a tale of triumph over an attempt to destroy the Jewish people. The author stays close to the original biblical story, but adds many details to bring the principal characters to life and enable the reader ( or listener) to envision ancient Persia. The story of how one young woman overcame her fears to face authority and save her people is not only a celebration for the Jewish people, but one of the earliest recorded stories of female empowerment. When this out of print book was recommended to me, I was disappointed that I couldn't locate it locally in time for Purim. But I did find the audiobook on the Hoopla library app. Linda Stephens narration enchanted me for the w2hoe 36 minute story. Her soothing voice brought me into Esther's world. She is a fine narrator whit just enough vocal changes to differentiate characters. Although this book was originally a picture book, the lengthy text, adult point of view and it's realistic gouache illustrations made it appropriate for older children and adults. I recommend this story for anyone ten and older.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rendition of Esther's story is perhaps one of my favourites of the ones I have read so far. The diary style is engaging and helps to emphasise Esther's feelings throughout the story. The illustrations are beautiful.

An excellent book to celebrate Purim with, and an excellent resource for those who are unfamiliar with the story of Purim's origins.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty lengthy and in-depth. I liked learning about the origins of Purim, though I was saddened at the King's laissez-faire attitude towards the slaughtering of his wife's people. Didn't feel like a children's book but wasn't bad, just unsure of the audience this medium serves. The illustrations were very reminiscent of Dulac's "The Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam".

[skcocnaH · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not Jewish, but Esther’s story is one of my all time favorites. This is a truly thrilling story, and I feel like the reteller didn’t capture the anxiety of the situation. But, the stars are for the art, which is beautiful.

[Nolan Brendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it because she got married to the king.

[Paul Stout · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

The biblical story of Esther is one of the most beautiful and faith-inspiring tales ever. This book is a faithful retelling that captures the courage and belief of the heroine Esther.
BTW, I never knew that the king in the biblical Esther is possibly Persian king Xerxes the Great and that Darius II could have been the son of Esther.

[Ragan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great picture book aimed at ages 4-8 that fleshes out the story of Esther. Good, confidence building story for young girls. Other good books for girls would be the Paper Bag Princess and The Rough Faced Girl.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

joe;good story about jews

Giuliana:Really great illustrations.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the author's take on the Old Testament story of Esther. Beautifully illustrated, it brings the origins of Purim to life.

[Sgivens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about a girl becoming a queen of Persia. She has many hardships to overcome and her people depend on her for their safety and, she risks her life to save them from harm.

[latinabooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great retelling for children with beautiful illustrations.

[J A · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are beautiful, and the writing is charming and clean.