The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

 

I’ve said this previously, but I’m always looking for enjoyable non- fiction reads for younger readers. I came across The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer one day and decided to try it out. It sounded like a great premise in an area of the world that students may not be familiar with. 

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is about young William who lives in Malawi, a land locked country on the continent of Africa. William has a very active mind and wants to help out his village, especially after a horrible drought hits and all the crops die. When crops struggle the families in the village, including Williams family, struggle. Families can’t afford food or education, so William finds solace in the local library. Here he finds the world of windmills and electricity. This sparks his creativity and imagination. He goes to his local junkyard and finds scraps wherever he goes which will help him build a windmill. This simple windmill leads William down a road to great things for himself, his family, his village and his country. 

I LOVED this book. There is an adult version and a Young Reader Edition (pictured). I would recommend the Young Readers Edition. I tried reading the adult version and it was… not interesting for me. The Young Readers Edition was just perfect. It talked about life in Malawi, the education there, daily life and how friendships shaped Williams life. 

I taught in a school where there were a great percentage of immigrants, many from Africa. Reading this book helped me see their world a little bit brighter. Being born and raised in America, sometimes we forget how other people around the world live and this book really helped expand my knowledge of that. This would be a great addition to any library and for any age group! 

Hope you enjoy! 

Now, go and READ! 

Grab your own Young Readers Edition here: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind