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  • Published: 5 February 2015
  • ISBN: 9781101637425
  • Imprint: PEN US eBook Childrens
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 304

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Young Readers Edition





Now a Netflix original film, this is the inspiring true story of a heroic young inventor who brought electricity to his Malawian village.

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.

  • Published: 5 February 2015
  • ISBN: 9781101637425
  • Imprint: PEN US eBook Childrens
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 304

About the authors

William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba recently graduated from Dartmouth College. The original version of his memoir The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was a New York Times Bestseller and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. He divides his time between Malawi and San Francisco, California.

Praise for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Time Magazine, 2013: "30 People Under 30 Changing the World"

Adult Edition:
New York Times Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
Amazon Best Book of the Month


"William Kamkwamba's achievement... should serve as a model of what one person, with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face. His book tells a moving an exciting story." --Al Gore

Picture Book Edition:
Cooperative Children's Book Center Best Book of the Year
Amazon Best Book of the Year

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

"Sure to resonate with children who will simply love the curiosity, resilience and resourcefulness of this doughty African youth."--Wall Street Journal

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

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