Lovely story and illustrations. I understand why it was nominated for a Newberry Award. Can't wait to give it to my grandson for his birthday. I made him an Explorer kit, including a compass and a magnifying glass to go with it. The fact that it is the story of a real boy means that my grandson will have an interest in Einstein firmly planted in his young mind and heart. I think it could lead to reading more about Einstein as he grows older. And it will be so much fun to help him explore the world around him like a little budding scientist/explorer.
This book has become a favorite in our house! While this book is recommended for the 6-9 age group, my 4 year old gets a kick out of it. She doesn't yet understand some of the scientific words and concepts (i.e. atoms, magnetism, etc;) but that doesn't stop her from enjoying the story. What I love about this book is that it's based on a real person and true events - finally, a children's book that's not based on farm animals! It starts out by detailing how little Albert didn't talk much when he was a child, was mischievous in class and getting in trouble and didn't relate well to the other children. It then goes into his career - how he wanted to be a teacher but ended up working in a government office. Eventually, the book talks about Albert's ideas and recognition. You also learn about Albert's quirks - how he didn't like to wear socks, enjoyed ice cream and the violin and liked to wear the same baggy clothes. Unfortunately, it does talk about his smoking pipe which I had to explain to my daughter - I turned that into a lesson about how smoking is bad for you but it was something they used to do in Albert's time because they didn't know any better!
The hardcover version is definitely sturdier but the new paperback version holds up well. I do wish that they didn't put the font in a red color on some pages - it's hard to see with the background color.
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