Module 12 – Odd Boy Out by Don Brown

1. Citation- Brown, Don. Odd Boy Out: The Story of the Young Albert Einstein. Sept. 2004. 32p. illus. Houghton, (0-618-49298-4).
   
2. Summary – This is a picture book account of the life and work of Albert Einstein. Einstein was a troubled youth with brains galore, but lacking in the ability to fit in with his peers and sometimes his family. It uses historical accounts and personal quotes to bring his character to life, and ends with a list of accomplishments without being too dry. The illustrations are very clear and add depth to his character, including some of his not-so-perfect moments.
   
3. Impressions of the Book – I really enjoyed this book. It is straight-forward and makes Einstein more accessible. He had flaws, and yet everyone knows his name. Though Einstein never diagnosed with any form of autism, there are elements that even my husband (on the spectrum) can connect with. It is certainly true that any child who feels "different" will relate to Einstein in some way through this book. Inspirational for kids to realize he was "a kid like me, at one time". Well written, well illustrated and very informative!
   
4. Reviews - Mattson, J. (2004). Odd Boy Out: The Story of the Young Albert Einstein (Book). Booklist, 101(1), 116. Retrieved from MAS Ultra - School Edition database.
   

   Brown, Don. Odd Boy Out: The Story of the Young Albert Einstein. Sept. 2004. 32p. illus. Houghton, (0-618-49298-4). Gr. 3–5. Young readers won't come away from Brown's newest picture-book biography understanding the theory of relativity, but they will be heartened by the parallels between their own experiences and those of an iconic science guy. The author-illustrator of Mack Made Movies (2003) and other books presents the future Nobel Prize winner as a sallow, sunken-eyed little boy who lingers on the sidelines as other boys roughhouse, spends hours building a house of cards "fourteen stories high," and vexes his teachers (one tells him that "he would never get anywhere in life"). Brown's language dips into vagueness when it's time to describe the mature scientist's contributions, and the accompanying artwork is often disappointingly generic, awkwardly incorporating computer-generated elements that overwhelm the delicate ink-and watercolor style used elsewhere. Still, this joins Frida Wishinsky's What's the Matter with Albert? (2002) as one of the very few picturebook biographies of Einstein available. Try giving it to older elementary students, who will get the most out of the detailed author's note and bibliography featuring many books for adults. —Jennifer Mattson
   

   
    

5. Use in a library setting – Something I might read around his birthday or offer to a class that is studying some of his theories/work.