I have never read a religious book with a trans main character, so this was a first for me. I loved the inclusion! I am not a religious person and tend not to buy religious-based books for that reason, but this one is absolutely an exception and I will be buying it for my children.

I liked the illustrations and thought the colour player used worked well with the yellow tone of the pages.

I thought the make your own crown at the end was a really cute addition.

I thought that this was a really great book that is a must for any school library!

I loved the approach that the author took with this story and to link the main character of Atara to Queen Esther, a strong Jewish heroine. The book has strong messages about inclusion, being who you are and beliefs as well as being one that has a positive message regarding LGBT too as well as the cultural story - it is a great mix.

Atara is a little girl who was born a boy - Atara wears the crown everywhere and it helps her with her feelings - it helps her to realise who she is and ultimately that she doesn't need the crown to be a girl - it is a very positive and strong message about self-worth.

I really liked the illustrations in the book as they bring the story to life. The book is well laid out, has nice clear text and it looks perfect. I loved the addition on the crown at the end of the book so that the reader can have their own crown to show their personality in the spirit of Queen Esther.

The story should be one that resonates with all children and it can be used to discuss feelings and as a starting point for any sensitive discussions too.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

I really enjoyed the message of this book that gender affirming items like our clothes, toys, and a crown can bring us comfort, they are not required in order for us to be who we are. Atara is a girl with or without her crown.

I also enjoyed finding a children's book with Jewish and LGBTQ representation. It's important that children from all traditions and walks of life get to see themselves represented in stories.

I would have liked more illustrations to go along with the story. It was a bit wordy at times, but that could just mean it's for an older age group than I'm used to reading to.

This was such a lovely book! Just like Queen Esther is an inclusive and sweet story about a little girl named Atara who finds a lot in common with the Biblical character of Esther. In order to represent her identity, Atara decides to wear the crown of Esther everywhere and has some interesting adventures. In the end, Atara realizes something important about herself and who she is - that her worth comes from within and nothing externally can change that truth. I think this was a beautiful story that will resonate with Jewish children, gender non-conforming kids, and all kids in general would benefit from the lessons provided. There is a fun printable crown at the end so kids can print their own crown to decorate and wear, in order to embody the spirit of Queen Esther.

A huge thank you to the authors, Ari Moffic and Kerry Olitzky, the illustrator, Rena Yehuda Newman, the publisher, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a digital copy of this children's picture book, Just Like Queen Esther! I will share my review on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble upon release. The overall story is moving and the illustrations are very eye-catching and playful.

In short, this is a cute Purim holiday story with diverse character representation, a touching story, and cute illustrations! Would recommend!