ABOUT THE BOOK QUEEN ESTHER retells the story which is found in the BOOK OF ESTHER in the Bible and which is commonly read during the celebration of the festival of Purim. In retelling the story, Ms. Liberman focuses on the noble character of Queen Esther, a young Jewish woman living in the 6th century B.C. and married to the king of Persia. The current book brings to life a woman who, despite her young age, possesses admirable values, such as modesty and generosity. This book will be an inspiration to readers, young and old. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Born in Israel (then called "Palestine"), Judith Weinshall Liberman came to the United States in 1947 to pursue higher education. She earned four American university degrees including two in law, a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and an LL.M. from the University of Michigan Law School. After settling in the Boston area in 1956, she studied art and creative writing. Beginning in the early 1960s, and for four decades thereafter, Ms. Liberman created numerous series of artworks. Her art has been widely exhibited, and is represented in the collection of museums and other public institutions. During her long career in visual art, Ms. Liberman wrote several books, among them some picture books. Her book THE BIRD'S LAST SONG (Addison-Wesley, 1976), which she also illustrated, won a citation as one of the "fabulous books of the year." Since 2012, she has published several additional picture books, including ICE CREAM SNOW, THE LITTLE FAIRY, COLOR IN OUR WORLD, THE VERY OLD PAINTER AND HER HUSBAND, HAIFA, ANGEL'S PUPPIES, THE GIANT HOUSE, THE BEE AND THE BUTTERFLY, THE MOUNTAIN, THE TUNNEL, THE OLD DOLL, FIFTEEN FABLES, TWELVE MORE FABLES, A PARAKEET FOR ERIC, TALES OF HUMAN FOIBLES, IN THE MILITARY CEMETERY, MORE TALES OF HUMAN FOIBLES, MICHAEL AND THE FLAG, IF I HAD THE POWER, IF I WERE RICH, THE WHIRLPOOL, THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET, TALE OF THE ROMAN NUMERALS, THE BRIDGE, GRANDMA'S GLASSES, ANNE FRANK IN MY ART, RUTHIE AND HER ANCESTORS, AN INTRODUCTION TO MY JUDAICA ART, HEAVENLY GARDENS, HOLOCAUST PAINTINGS, HOMO SAPIENS, SELF PORTRAITS OF A HOLOCAUST ARTIST, THE RAINBOW, THE TRAIN, THE WAILING WALL, and THE BLANKET. Judith Weinshall Liberman's archives can be found in the Arts Department of the Boston Public Library and at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art. ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR QUEEN ESTHER is the fourteenth book on which Judith Weinshall Liberman, the author, has collaborated with Cindy Nguyen, a Gau Family Studio illustrator. The two had previously collaborated on THE LITTLE SONGBIRD, THE BIRD WHO WENT TO HEAVEN, THE GIRL AND THE PIGEONS, WHAT WILL I BE?, LUCY AND THE SNOWMAN, IF I HAD A LITTLE SISTER, IF I WERE A MOM, THE SECRET, SHOP AND SHOP, RONNIE'S ALARM CLOCK, YOUR GRANDPA, MY BIRTHDAY, and on THE FUTURE. Since Ms. Liberman did not feel that, in view of her deteriorated eyesight, she could do justice to illustrating QUEEN ESTHER herself, she turned to Gau Family Studio to create the illustrations under the author's guidance. In the present book, Ms. Nguyen beautifully captures the spirit of the story and of its characters.