Albert Einstein: The Physicist Who Rode a Beam of Light
Young Albert Einstein daydreams about riding a beam of light, and his teacher helps him see that imagination is the start of discovery
Encourages imagination and big ideas
5 min read · 2-4
Listen to this storyThe story
Little Albert sat at his quiet desk, staring out the window. He watched a speck of dust dance in a warm beam of morning sunlight.
The golden sunbeam grew wider and wider, turning into a shimmering highway. Albert closed his eyes and leaped onto the glowing path.
Zoom! He soared high above the clouds, leaving the school far behind. The wind whistled as he raced the sun.
He dodged glittering comets and looped around the pale moon. The universe was a giant, colorful playground of stars.
He raced alongside spinning galaxies that looked like giant, glowing pinwheels. Nothing in the whole universe could go faster than him.
He chased a bright, distant star at the very edge of space. He wanted to see how far the light could carry him.
Suddenly, the golden beam bent in a sharp, wild curve. Albert gasped as he slipped, tumbling away from the stretching light.
Down, down he fell, sailing back through the clouds. With a soft start, he blinked and woke up right back in his quiet classroom chair.
Albert looked up nervously. The classroom was quiet, and he wondered if his teacher had noticed his journey to the stars.
His teacher walked over with a warm, gentle smile. She wasn't cross with him at all, and she held a colorful book in her hands.
She handed him the book about the stars. "Where did your mind travel, Albert?" she asked gently. "Never stop wondering."
Albert smiled, holding the book close. He knew his imagination was a special map, ready to help him discover the secrets of the world.
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