Book Report: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

This book tells the true story of a poor kid in Malawi who survives a famine, and then when there is no money to continue his schooling, reads old textbooks to try and keep up. He finds one with some diagrams of a windmill, and fashions his own out of junk parts to power a lightbulb in his thatched roof hut. A journalist catches wind of it, someone posts it on a technology blog and the rest as they say is history. He flies on a plane! to a conference, to see some sights in America and ends up in one of the best schools in Africa. His family is blessed too but you'll just have to read to find out.

It's not as good as a real humanitarian trip but it will definatly get your kids thinking.

I think it would be best understood by kids 11 and up but my 8 and 6 year old couldn't get enough. I read ahead, so knew to skip the few pages discussing AIDS, and to skim over a few heavier parts.

Don't miss it.