Best Selling Books by William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba was fourteen years old when famine came to his small town in Malawi, a small country in Africa. When his father couldn't afford to send him to school, he visited a library and started reading about electricity. When he learned that a generator and a motor have the same parts, he attached the motor from a cassette player to a small pinwheel and discovered that he could power a small radio with the wind. He then realized that with enough electricity, he could provide lights at night without buying expensive kerosene, and more importantly, provide water to provide for a second crop each year to prevent famine. He built his wind generator from scrap and eventually accomplished both aims. Bryan Mealer helps William tell his story in the first person. William tells the story of famine in a way only a victim can remember. His insights into the vanity of spiritism show wisdom beyond his years. His understanding of how his corrupt government caused and lengthened the famine is keen. Eye-opening book. William's TED lecture is also worth seeing. Review by J.David Knepper at http://www.ahavabaptist.com/reviews/reviews.htm#boy

The New York Times bestselling memoir of the heroic young inventor who brought electricity to his Malawian village adapted for young readers. Now available in paperback!

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.