Family Discussion Guide: Esther Didn’t Dream of Being Queen

Esther Didn’t Dream of Being Queen book cover

Purim, a carnival holiday arriving in late February or March, is a celebration. People dress in costumes, bake and share treats, gather together to listen to the Book of Esther being read aloud, and make lots of noise. But the story in the Megillah (Hebrew for “scroll”) is not all fun and games. As readers learn in the book Esther Didn’t Dream of Being Queen written by Alison Ofanansky, illustrated by Valentina Belloni, and published by Apples and Honey Press, the story of Purim is a tale of how a community faced peril and how one woman’s bravery saved the day.

For more learning inspired by this book, use the buttons below to navigate to discussion questions, some Jewish learning, and a fun recipe to make together.

Learn

When do you stand up for what is right? “I’m not Cinderella,” Esther tells us at the start of this book. Many fairy tales involve magic, wishes, and even fairy godmothers, but Esther only has her own courage and cleverness to rely on. Her decision to utilize her power, face her moment of truth, and risk her life for her people is what the ancient sage Rabbi Hillel had in mind when he said:

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?”

Even when life isn’t a fairy tale, we can all try to be brave and stand up for others when it matters.

Queen Esther doesn’t want to leave her home, her cousin Mordecai, or the quiet life she knows. When she is brought to the palace, she doesn’t put on fancy clothes or fix her hair, hoping not to be chosen as the new queen. She just wants to be herself—and eventually, her willingness to reveal who she really is saves the day. Esther never forgets how important her community and family are to her, and because of that, her very first royal order is to let the other women go home. Her rachamim, Hebrew for empathy, comes from knowing herself and her values. As Rabbi Hillel also said: “Do not do to others what is hateful to you” (Talmud, Shabbat 31a).

Discuss

  • Esther bravely tells the king that she is Jewish. Why does she do it?
  • What do you think Esther is worried about when she tells the king about Haman’s plan?
  • What are some of the things Esther does once she becomes queen?
  • Why does Haman plan to attack the Jews?
  • Why do you think Esther isn’t interested in becoming the queen?
  • How would you feel if you were in Esther’s position?
  • Esther refers to the Cinderella story several times as she tells her story.
    • How is Esther like Cinderella? How is she different?
  • Would you like to be a queen, prince, or other royal leader in the king’s palace?
    • Why or why not?

Do

You may notice that in this book, Haman always wears a hat—and it’s almost the shape of a triangle. According to tradition, Haman did indeed have a triangular-shaped hat, which is one explanation for why hamantaschen, the classic Purim cookies, are shaped like triangles.

Making hamantaschen is a lot of fun. You can make an easy “shortcut” version with your favorite prepared cookie dough and jam or filling. Traditional hamantaschen fillings include prunes and poppyseeds; many families like to use a little strawberry jam or even chocolate chips.

Make Hamantaschen

A graphic of hamantaschen on a plate

Ingredients:

  • Prepared sugar cookie dough
  • Jam, chocolate chips, or hazelnut chocolate spread for filling

Instructions:

  1. Roll out your dough so it’s very thin.
  2. Use a round cookie cutter or the top of a drinking glass to cut out circles in the dough.
  3. Place a little bit (one teaspoon) of your favorite filling in the center of each circle.
  4. Pinch the circles together on three sides, creating a triangle.
  5. Bake as your recipe directs. Happy Purim!

Read

Want to learn more? Check out one of these books:

The Royal Recipe: A Purim Story book cover
A Persian Princess book cover
Queen Vashti's Comfy Pants book cover

More

9 Children's Books About Standing Up for Others
Courageous Queens: A List of Vashti and Esther Stories
How Celebrating Purim Can Teach Children About Equality