When fourteen-year-old William’s village in Malawi was hit by a drought, everyone’s crops began to fail. With only a pile of books and scraps from the junkyard, William built a windmill, bringing electricity and irrigation to his village and its crops.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Discuss the Book
Endless Dreams
Pages 1–7
- Important Moment: William daydreams while he helps his family work in the fields.
- Ask and Share: How do you think William’s dreaming might be helpful? Do you ever come up with new ideas while daydreaming?
Inventive Thinking
Pages 8–14
- Important Moment: William reads about windmills and thinks a windmill could help his village.
- Ask and Share: What do you think William is going to need to achieve his goal?
Junk, Scraps, and Laughter
Pages 15–20
- Important Moment: Many villagers laugh as William builds his windmill from objects he found in the junkyard.
- Ask and Share: Why do you think William’s neighbors don’t believe in his idea? How do you think William feels about that?
Air, Light, and Water
Pages 21–30
- Important Moment: William’s first windmill makes electricity! William later builds water pumps to help crops grow.
- Ask and Share: What kind of invention do you think would help people who live in our community?