A Purim Story of Courage by Jane Yolen

Micah loved the noise maker, known as a gragger, that he used at his family's Purim party. With it they celebrated the defeat of the wicked Haman, a bully from biblical times who tried to get rid of the Jews. The gragger made him feel mighty! But on his way home, the gragger was lost.

This is the context of Mighty Micah, a new Purim picture book by bestselling author Jane Yolen.

Micah was nervous that without his gragger, he wouldn't be able to be brave, like Queen Esther.

However, his gragger was powerful. It journeyed from a raccoon's hands, to a fish's mouth, to a heron's beak, back to Micah's front steps.

Joyful at the return of his gragger, Micah takes it to school to show the class, so everyone could feel its mighty whirr, whirr, whirr, and they too could feel powerful and safe.

Also included is a note from the author with a brief summary of the story of Purim, and how its themes of strength, courage, and safety can apply to all children today.

Mighty Micah is available at independent bookstores and at: