A picture book look at the life of Albert Einstein makes clear that imagination had as much to do with his accomplishments as did calculations and critical thinking, and that the space and time to let his mind wander were essential to everything he did. A child who talked late and little, Einstein was fascinated by the compass his father brought him-it opened his mind's eye to the unseen workings of the world around him. Riding a bicycle one day, he saw beams of sunlight and wondered what it would be like to ride on one. "And in his mind, right then and there, Albert was no longer on his bicycle ... he was racing through space on a beam of light. It was the biggest, most exciting thought Albert had ever had. And it filled his mind with questions." Science and numbers intrigued him. Later, so did motion. So he studied, factored, and wondered. Jennifer Berne's lyrical narrative is light on facts about Einstein's personal life but pays tribute to his magical thinking. Vladimir Radunsky's quirky, spirited illustrations are the perfect accompaniment. (Ages 5-9)