What do Albert Einstein and Pi have in common?

Numbers, basically. Albert Einstein and Pi are both celebrated on March 14th.

Albert Einstein was born in Ulm Germany, on March 14, 1879 and he remained active working for peace and science until his death in 1955.

Have you ever stepped into an elevator and wondered what it would feel like if it suddenly fell out of control? Albert Einstein thought about it a lot. Thinking about space and gravity in this way helped Einstein form his general theory of relativity, one of the most important scientific ideas of the twentieth century. With his wild, bushy white hair, Albert Einstein is the symbol of genius.

Though Albert Einstein is remembered mostly as being a scientific genius, he was also concerned with helping people. During World War II, he assisted many Jews fleeing the Nazis. After the war, the people of Israel asked him to be their president. Einstein declined; he still had unanswered scientific questions to solve. Today, scientists are still hard at work trying to solve some of Einstein's questions. 

Albert Einstein:  Physicist and  Genius,  Revised  Edition
ISBN:  978-0-7660-2838-0

 Pi Day is also celebrated on Einstein's birthday because March 14th (3/14 in month/date format) is the approximate numeric equivalent of Pi in decimal form - 3.14

Doesn't that make for the perfect excuse to celebrate today with a piece of birthday cake or pie?

Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day

This Saturday, Dec 1 is Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day. I was fortunate that when I was a child my parents frequently took me to bookstores. I wasn't always allowed to buy something but more times than not they bought me a book, magazine, or even a comic book or two.

Today, I still frequently visit bookstores and especially love browsing in used bookstores. This year's surprise Christmas present for my daughter is coming from a used bookstore near her college. She spotted a set of books in the window that caught her eye but the store was closed at the time. Not long after, I visited the store and bought the set of books (which actually turned out to be new and still in the wrapper) and I've hidden them away. (If you're concerned that she might read this ruin the surprise, don't be. This is one thing she doesn't read!)

More recently, we went to another store to browse. My daughter is probably the only person that can browse longer than me in a bookstore. She picked out books. She bought two. I bought her another one. She pointed out several more she wanted for Christmas. More importantly, we enjoyed some special time together before she had to head back to college.

So, take some time this Saturday to take your child to a bookstore. Start a tradition. Create memories. Read together with younger children. Browse displays with older ones. Maybe go back later and buy that special book and surprise someone with it during the holidays.

Learn more about a bookstore near you.that's participating in this year's Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day event.