Albert Einstein: A Life of Genius (Snapshots: Images of People and Places in History) - Softcover

Elizabeth MacLeod has written many children's books, including nine titles in the Snapshots Biography series, numerous titles in the Kids Can Read, Kids Books Of and Kids Can Do It series, Why Do Horses Have Manes?, What Did Dinosaurs Eat?, and Monster Fliers. She lives in Toronto.

Gr. 5-7. It looks like a scrapbook, with information offered in small bites accompanied by lots of small photos and illustrations, but this introduction to the life of Einstein is as informative as it is appealing. The opening section, peppered with famous photos--among them, Einstein sticking out his tongue and riding a bike--gives intriguing insights into Einstein the man (he never learned to drive because it was too complicated). The book then follows his life chronologically. Although MacLeod discusses Einstein's great discoveries in physics, she does not focus on them, perhaps recognizing that the more details she provides about his theories, the harder they are to understand. Instead, she gives a more rounded portrait of Einstein, touching on his dedication to peace (including his anguish about providing the key to the atom bomb, though he had encouraged President Franklin Roosevelt to build one), his efforts for Zionism, and his rather unsuccessful family life. A considerable time line and a list of a few places to visit complete the package. This is concise, but there's still plenty here for students and browsers alike. Ilene Cooper
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