68 pages • 2 hours read
William KamkwambaThe Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2009A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba is a memoir about the author’s struggle to build a windmill in his village in Malawi. The story opens with William successfully turning on his windmill and moves to his childhood, touching on themes of hope, determination, superstition, and government corruption. Despite facing numerous obstacles, William self-educates at a library, learning about electricity, and builds a windmill, which garners local and international attention, leading to positive changes in his village and beyond. The book includes sensitive topics such as famine and the impacts of HIV/AIDS.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba is widely praised for its inspiring, real-life story of innovation and resilience. Readers commend Kamkwamba's ingenuity in creating a windmill to save his village. Some critiques mention the book's pacing and technical explanations as occasionally challenging. Overall, it is a motivational read celebrating human determination.
Who Should Read The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind?
The ideal reader for The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba is passionate about narratives of resilience and innovation. Comparable to fans of I Am Malala and Steve Jobs, they appreciate inspiring true stories about overcoming adversity, the triumph of ingenuity, and the transformative power of education.
RecommendedReading Age
10+yearsLexile Level
860L