The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

William Kamkwamba grew up in a tiny farming village in Malawi, Africa, without electricity. When a drought destroyed the crops and famine resulted, William's family could no longer afford his school tuition. He continued to study on his own, though, painstakingly translating an English science textbook and figuring out how to build a windmill out of old bike parts and other scraps. To the wonder of his community, he brought electricity to his home, and later to his whole village--and thus water as well. Includes an eight-page insert of photographs.

Now a Netflix film starring and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, this is a gripping memoir of survival and perseverance about the heroic young inventor who brought electricity to his Malawian village.

When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever- he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land.

Retold for a younger audience, this exciting memoir shows how, even in a desperate situation, one boy's brilliant idea can light up the world. Complete with photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story, this is the perfect edition to read and share with the whole family.