Review: Rembrandt Chooses a Queen

Rembrandt Chooses a Queen

by Kerry Olitzky & Deborah Bodin Cohen, illustrated by Cinzia Battistel

Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025

Category: Picture Books

Reviewer: Rinat Hadad Siegel

 

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Set in 1660 Amsterdam, Rembrandt Chooses a Queen is a charming historical fiction picture book inspired by the Rembrandt painting "Ahasuerus and Haman at the Feast of Esther."
 

Samuel (fictional) is an apprentice at Rembrandt's studio. Surrounded by art and artists dedicated to their work, Samuel develops a new sense of belonging and a calling he wants to pursue. Though there are not many Jewish visuals in the illustrations, the Jewish voice is dominant, and a significant debate is apparent in the plot on how to follow a path to pursue different interests, in addition to a lifelong journey with the study of Torah and Mitzvot. 

Samuel is excited at the concept of Rembrandt painting a scene from Esther's scroll. However, Rembrandt is not pleased with the first model who posed for Queen Esther, and dismisses her. The search for a new Queen Esther begins, and Samuel suggests his sister Isabel, whose qualities and personality match those of the humble Esther. After much persuasion and self-exploration, Samuels's father agrees with this plan. Everything comes to a heartwarming ending in which Isabel finds new meaning in the story of Esther and Samuel gets a chance to show his artistic talent. The beautiful illustrations give a sense of the Rembrandt style and bring together the plot, setting, and characters.

The Jewish community has always appreciated the support and friendship of allies such as Rembrandt.
Learning about the famous painter's interest in the Jewish community and his inspiration from the Hebrew bible brings a new layer of admiration for his work.

This story gives an excellent opportunity for Jewish children to see a blissful and fruitful interaction between Jews and non-Jews. The book has back-matter about the holiday of Purim, information about Rembrandt, and the vision behind this story, which can be used as a jumping off point for  meaningful discussions.

 

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Reviewer Rinat Hadad Siegel was born in Israel to a Jewish Mizrahi family. She is a children’s book author and a former educator and resource teacher for elementary and middle school children. Rinat received her Bachelor’s Degree from the Ben Gurion University of the Negev and holds a Master’s in Education from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. Exploring Mizrahi roots is one of Rinat’s passions, and she aspires to promote and add diverse Jewish history into children’s literature. Find more information at rinathadadsiegel.com or follow her on Instagram at @rinathadadsiegel.