The boy who Harnessed the Wind : : Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope

Locations
Call Number: 621.453 Ka
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	621.453 Ka	4-week checkout	On Shelf

This immensely engaging tale relates how an enterprising teenager in Malawi builds a windmill from scraps he finds around his village and brings electricity, and a future, to his family.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Inspiring Story of Ingenuity and Optimism submitted by Sara W on August 9, 2011, 8:26am It's impossible not to like William Kamkwamba after reading this book. Part of what I liked about him was he wasn't a great student. Before his family was unable to pay school fees, his grades were low, C's and D's. He worked hard, but school didn't come naturally to him. But after school was no longer an option, he didn't hesitate in trying to continue his education by heading to the library. The library!? What a great place for someone who loves to learn to spend their time!

So yes, another thing I loved about this story was the important role played by the library. William found old science books, books like "Explaining Physics" that he reads and re-reads until he's reasonably confident he can built a windmill to power his home and pump a well in order to have more harvests and give his family more security. There is no end to William's ingenuity. He melts PVC pipe and hammers it flat for windmill blades. He uses half an old bicycle and makes do with old wires. He also hunts through the scrapyard near his old school and faces mockery and derision every day from his former schoolmates and most of his village.

William has a supportive family and wonderful friends, who help him build, source parts and even invest their money to help him make his dream of "electric wind" come true. The narrative does an excellent job painting a picture of what poverty in Malawi is like - during the famine years, I kept having to remind myself that this was taking place in 2002, when the events sound impossible in this modern age.

Journalist and co-author Bryan Mealer does an excellent job of letting William's voice do the telling. The terms he uses, the personal details about favorite foods or music all fit perfectly and help make William relatable and lovable.

When William has become a success, the story follows him to a TED conference and on his trip to the US and every moment is heartwarming and thrilling knowing how hard William has worked and how much he deserves praise and further encouragement and support to receive more training and continue to improve life in his country.

Interesting submitted by karenkay on July 16, 2016, 2:47pm Good read about an amazing kid