Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein
Written and Illustrated by Don Brown
Published by Houghton Mifflin in Massachusetts in 2004
Genre: Biography
Ages: Grades 3-5, 6-8
Summary: In this biography of Albert Einstein's life, Don Brown chronicles his journey from "odd boy out" to the Nobel Prize winning scientist. Readers travel with young Albert as he creates turmoil in his household due to his dislike of his baby sister to his discovery of things he enjoys, such as finding out how things work, to his realization that he is the "odd boy out." Albert does not like to play ball, is not excited about soldiers on parade, or the study of languages like the other boys. Because of this many students taunt him. Through his school career Albert does not pay much attention to his studies other than science or math and due to that, he cannot attend the college of his choice when he intends. Finally, Albert's curiosity leads him to the discovery of the theory of relativity, photons within light, the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, the latter of which won him the Nobel Prize.
Response: I believe this book is definitely suited for upper elementary or even middle school students. I think reading it to a class would be a great way to introduce the theories, etc. that Einstein invented without getting into too much detail at once. I really like the background information that Don Brown puts in this book about Einstein's younger life because that information is usually left out of lessons on Einstein. Most students know about E=MC2, but few know of his childhood and other famous accomplishments.
This biography is a complete biography in that it does not tell about just one part of Einstein's life, it actually carries readers through from his childhood all the way to adulthood. One of my favorite quotes from this work is on page 17 and states that "'I believe that love [of a subject] is a better teacher than a sense of duty.'" I absolutely agree with Einstein on that point because I have always felt that I do better and learn more in classes that I am interested in than in those which I know I just have to take.
The illustrations in this work were also done by the author. He does both single and double-page spreads and uses pen, ink, watercolor, and digital technology to create his works. He uses a lot of yellows and greens in his illustrations and very muted colors that are not always distinct. My favorite illustration in this work is actually the only one in which he uses computer-generate pictures. On pages 25 and 26 he uses watercolor to depict Einstein pushing his child in a baby carriage and gazing into the dark sky filled with all kinds of beautiful computer images of science phenomena.
Teaching Connections: This work could be used in a classroom to help students who often feel left out and different feel more comfortable with themselves. The message of the story would be very powerful to them because Einstein too felt very different all through his childhood, but it did not hinder his ability to become a great man and accomplish many wonderful feats.
This book could also be used to begin a study on famous scientists, such as Albert Einstein.
It could also be used to aid a creative writing assignment for students in which, after hearing this story,they write a similar one about their lives. They will detail some information about their childhood and then write about the person they become as an adult. (The creativity is in the "future" part of their stories.)
(Image retrieved from http://syndetics.com/hw7.pl?client=crrlp&isbn=0618492984/LC.JPG on 6 April 2008.
Written and Illustrated by Don Brown
Published by Houghton Mifflin in Massachusetts in 2004
Genre: Biography
Ages: Grades 3-5, 6-8
Summary: In this biography of Albert Einstein's life, Don Brown chronicles his journey from "odd boy out" to the Nobel Prize winning scientist. Readers travel with young Albert as he creates turmoil in his household due to his dislike of his baby sister to his discovery of things he enjoys, such as finding out how things work, to his realization that he is the "odd boy out." Albert does not like to play ball, is not excited about soldiers on parade, or the study of languages like the other boys. Because of this many students taunt him. Through his school career Albert does not pay much attention to his studies other than science or math and due to that, he cannot attend the college of his choice when he intends. Finally, Albert's curiosity leads him to the discovery of the theory of relativity, photons within light, the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, the latter of which won him the Nobel Prize.
Response: I believe this book is definitely suited for upper elementary or even middle school students. I think reading it to a class would be a great way to introduce the theories, etc. that Einstein invented without getting into too much detail at once. I really like the background information that Don Brown puts in this book about Einstein's younger life because that information is usually left out of lessons on Einstein. Most students know about E=MC2, but few know of his childhood and other famous accomplishments.
This biography is a complete biography in that it does not tell about just one part of Einstein's life, it actually carries readers through from his childhood all the way to adulthood. One of my favorite quotes from this work is on page 17 and states that "'I believe that love [of a subject] is a better teacher than a sense of duty.'" I absolutely agree with Einstein on that point because I have always felt that I do better and learn more in classes that I am interested in than in those which I know I just have to take.
The illustrations in this work were also done by the author. He does both single and double-page spreads and uses pen, ink, watercolor, and digital technology to create his works. He uses a lot of yellows and greens in his illustrations and very muted colors that are not always distinct. My favorite illustration in this work is actually the only one in which he uses computer-generate pictures. On pages 25 and 26 he uses watercolor to depict Einstein pushing his child in a baby carriage and gazing into the dark sky filled with all kinds of beautiful computer images of science phenomena.
Teaching Connections: This work could be used in a classroom to help students who often feel left out and different feel more comfortable with themselves. The message of the story would be very powerful to them because Einstein too felt very different all through his childhood, but it did not hinder his ability to become a great man and accomplish many wonderful feats.
This book could also be used to begin a study on famous scientists, such as Albert Einstein.
It could also be used to aid a creative writing assignment for students in which, after hearing this story,they write a similar one about their lives. They will detail some information about their childhood and then write about the person they become as an adult. (The creativity is in the "future" part of their stories.)
(Image retrieved from http://syndetics.com/hw7.pl?client=crrlp&isbn=0618492984/LC.JPG on 6 April 2008.
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