Albie's First Word a Tale Inspired by Albert Einstein's Childhood

Reviewed by: Barbara Merritt - Scarborough School Department, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 26, 2015

Review

Albert Einstein was an unusual child in many ways. One of those ways was that he was very late speaking his first word. This book chronicles his parent's attempts to get him to speak. When he did not speak at the age of three, their doctor encouraged various ways to get Albert to speak his first word. None of them worked. One day, his mother found him staring into the nighttime sky watching shooting stars dart across the sky. He turned to her and asked "why?" Notes in the back tell the reader that it really is not known exactly how old Albert was when he first spoke, but definitely older than three, and tell about his being an unusual child.The story is told with humor and shows the parent's concern and perseverance well. Illustrations do a very good job of capturing the era. This book could be a reassurance for those late bloomers among us.

Overall Book Score: good