The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a memoir about William Kamkwamba and his life growing up in Malawi, Africa. The town in which he is from was greatly impoverished, and famine and severe drought took over his country, killing many people and having a detrimental effect on the lifestyle of others. Due to the lack of access to education and resources, William set out by himself to learn about finding a way to help his community by looking for informational books and seeking old scraps from the junkyard. Through perseverance and determination, William Kamkwamba was able to make a windmill and provide his village with electricity that helped to ease the famine and offer more opportunities to those around him.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind demonstrates a theme of resilience through times of despair. I would recommend this book to those who are trying to find a good non-fiction read that delves into hardships and sorrow but has a positive ending and leaves off on a good note.

Review by: Holly Childs

Holly volunteers at the West Los Angeles Regional Branch Library. She is a junior at Santa Monica High School.

—Carrie Davies, Young Adult Librarian, West Los Angeles Branch Library