Without the funds to go to school, William dropped out. Rather than accept his fate, William decided to visit the library to keep his mind off his hunger and stay on track in his schooling. Besides novels and textbooks, William discovered books about science, especially physics and electricity. In his own independent study project, he took on the challenge of building a windmill with the hopes of changing not only his life, but the lives of his family and neighbors. This is the story of one boy’s quest to better himself and those around him by pursuing his interests.
The Bottom Line: This easy to read book is the perfect inspiration for those ages teen - adult. In school, William was an average student at best; however, when he was left to explore his interests, his creativity really took off. Additionally, he had a can-do attitude that illustrates what one can accomplish when they put their mind to it. Highly recommended inspirational reading for anyone interested in science and memoirs.
Book Club Notes: This book club pick was on the TBR list of a few of our members, so we looked forward to discussing it. Some felt there was too much time dedicated to the drought, while others felt it was just right. The book was inspiring and reminded us to think about how fortunate we are. While there were some photos, more would have been appreciated. One member felt that there are many, many similar stories like this out there, so they were not impressed. On a scale from 1 - 5, ratings in our group actually ranged from 1 - 5, with an average rating of 4.
Recommended for groups looking to discuss science and exploring different cultures. For a splash of fun, our featured mocktail was Rock Shandy, which was perfect for a summer discussion. You can find a recipe here.
Finally, you can find plentiful discussion questions by visiting any of these sites: Penguin Classroom, LitLovers, Ohio Energy Project, and Clarkson University.
Details: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. Paperback published by William Morrow in 2010. 320 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-173033-7
