SuitabookThe Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba
- Reading
- Read it together, pause to explore unfamiliar ideas about wind, energy and invention, and invite the child to distinguish what William discovers himself from what he learns through books or others.
- Themes
- Curiosity and invention: William wonders how things work, studies science books and builds a windmill for his village. The book presents this favourably.
- Perseverance amid hardship: William lives in a drought-ravaged village and works towards a wind-powered response. Perseverance is presented positively through the book’s stated focus on patience and determination.
- Learning through books: William teaches himself English from old science books before building the windmill. The book treats access to knowledge and self-directed study as important parts of William’s development.
- Worth knowing
- Consider how the book presents drought-related hardship alongside innovation, energy and self-directed learning.