The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - by William Kamkwamba & Bryan Mealer

About the Book

After his African village was hit by a drought, 14-year-old William Kamkwamba learned about electrical windmills at a small library, and after weeks of foraging for junk parts, he did the incredible. Full color.

Book Synopsis

The picture book retelling of the New York Times bestseller - Now a Netflix film starring and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor! A lyrical and gloriously illustrated true story of one boy's determination to help his community that shows how--even in the worst of times--a great idea and hard work can rock the world.

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.

Review Quotes

"[An] inspiring story of curiosity and ingenuity." -- Publishers Weekly

"This book will appeal to adults eager to impart an uplifting Third World human-interest story, but it is also sure to resonate with children who will simply love the curiosity, resilience and resourcefulness of this doughty African youth." -- Wall Street Journal

"A powerful, gorgeously illustrated children's picture book." -- The Boston Globe

"This is a dynamic portrait of a young person whose connection to the land, concern for his community, and drive to solve problems offer an inspiring model." -- School Library Journal

"Zunon illustrates handsomely, with contrasting cut-paper-collage details and broad, sere landscapes painted in visibly textured oils." -- Kirkus

"This picture book in accessible free verse will draw kids who love to construct their own engineering gadgets." -- Booklist

Cooperative Children's Book Center's 2013 Best-of-the-year list. -- CCBC

About the Author

William Kamkwamba grew up in a small village in Malawi. At the age of 14, he devised a windmill that brought electricity to his home during a catastrophic drought. His New York Times Bestselling autobiography has been translated into nearly twenty languages worldwide as well as a feature film, and William has appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Good Morning America. After graduating from Dartmouth College in Environmental Studies, William began work as a Global Fellow for the design firm IDEO.org. Now an entrepreneur and TED Fellow, he divides his time between the U.S. and Malawi and is currently working full-time with the Moving Windmills Project, a nonprofit he launched that's dedicated to ethical, hands-on development in Malawi.

Bryan Mealer is the author of Muck City and the New York Times bestseller The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, which he wrote with William Kamkwamba. Since publication, the book has received many honors and has been translated into over a dozen languages. Mealer is also the author of All Things Must Fight to Live, which chronicled his years covering the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo for Harper's and the Associated Press. His book The Kings of Big Spring, is a multi-generational saga about his family in West Texas. He and his family live in Austin.

Elizabeth Zunon grew up in Ivory Coast, West Africa, and now lives in Albany, New York.