I don't see the area for posting new messages on the KT site today, so I'm attaching this Book of the Week to the one from last week. The two responses are also from last week. Hopefully I can get this figured out.

The boy who harnessed the wind : creating currents of electricity and hope / William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.

This is the inspiring true story of Malawi resident William Kamkwamba who grew up in poverty, experienced cholera sweeping through his community and who had to leave school early because his family couldnâÂÂt afford the fees. His community had no electricity and no ready access to clean water. Kamkwamba got the idea of âÂÂharnessing the windâ from a book he had seen. When he became determined to create this project himself, he was very intelligent and resourceful in seeking out the small number of books available in the lending library that would help him in his quest. He also had to scavenge such material that he was able to find to build the structure, requiring tenacious focus because in the midst of so much poverty, very few potentially usable items were ever thrown away. But Kamkwamba was extremely creative and inventive, describing the exact materials he used and how he adapted them to his needs. His happy venture opened many doors for himself, his family and his community.

Library Journal review: âÂÂThis is the remarkable story of an African teenager who, by courage, ingenuity, and determination, defeated the odds. Born in 1987 in a drought-ravaged Malawi where hope and opportunity were hard to find, Kamkwamba read about windmills in a library book and dreamed of building one that would bring electricity to his village and improve the lives of his family. At the age of 14, Kamkwamba had to drop out of school and help his family forage for food, but he never let go of his dream. Over a period of several months, using scrap metal, tractor, and bicycle parts, the resourceful young man built a crude yet operable windmill that eventually powered four lights. Soon reports of his "electric wind" project spread beyond the borders of his village, earning him international recognition and, with the help of mentors worldwide, he now attends a high school in South Africa. Verdict Demonstrating the power of imagination, libraries, and books, Kamkwamba's heartwarming memoir, with Mealer's (All Things Must Fight To Live: Stories of War and Deliverance in Congo) contribution, is sure to inspire all readers.âÂÂ

This post was edited by stacey_mb on Thu, Jan 29, 15 at 9:58