Here are three picture books about the legendary physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955). As you can imagine, his theories are not easy to explain to children, but several writers have created picture book biographies that describe his life and influence. They each have their strengths and weaknesses and I recommend them all for the same age group.

Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin, 2004)

This picture book focuses on Albert Einstein’s childhood, showing how he was different from other children, but also highlighting his curiosity, dedication, and genius. It concludes, “For the world, Einstein comes to mean not fat baby, or angry child, or odd boy, but great thinker.” The author’s note corrects popular misconceptions and the book ends with a bibliography of seven books. I wish the pen and ink and watercolour illustrations were more colourful. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky (Chronicle Books, 2013)

One day when little Albert was sick in bed his father brought him a compass and he became intrigued by the unseen mysteries of the universe. This biographical picture book shows Einstein grappling with questions from the size of the universe to what goes on inside atoms. It shows his profound influence and ends with the fact that some of the big questions he asked are still being worked on. The illustrations are definitely quirky with a background design that I found distracting. The author’s note provides additional info on topics like Einstein’s thought experiments and the atomic bomb, and lists five of the most interesting and important books about Einstein. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Albert Einstein by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, illustrated by Jean Claude (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2021)

This picture book biography in the Little People, Big Dreams series covers Einstein’s whole life, not dwelling too long on his childhood. It touches more on the Nazis, nuclear bombs, and racism than the other books, but is still clearly aimed at a young audience. The illustrations are charming (with the exception of one confusing page!) and the book ends with a biographical note and four photographs. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.