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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
The first quarter of the book is getting to know the main character and what his life is like. The second quarter is a detailed account of the misery of life in hunger during a famine. It was hard to get through this part, but very eye-opening to see the account first hand from actual people you are getting to know, instead of nameless numbers of people in some far off, backward country, which is how news of famine often comes across. The third quarter of the story is his thirst for knowledge and building the windmill. The last quarter of the story shows the power of education in making real change in the lives of people who struggle to survive from year to year.
I really wish everyone in the "first world" would read this to get a feel for why and how education can really change the world for people in poverty, and how ignorance holds them back. I think that would stir people to action in initiating lasting help and change for those in the "third world".
Overall I really liked this book and want to encourage a lot of people to read or listen to it.
I really wish everyone in the "first world" would read this to get a feel for why and how education can really change the world for people in poverty, and how ignorance holds them back. I think that would stir people to action in initiating lasting help and change for those in the "third world".
Overall I really liked this book and want to encourage a lot of people to read or listen to it.
It starts slow but don't dispair, the story picks up. Very inspiring I may have teared up near the end.
An engaging and accessible read; William Kamkwamba (with Bryan Mealer) has a wonderful, distinctive voice and tells a compelling personal story.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
This review is only applicable to the YOUNG READERS EDITION. I understand the original publication may have a few additional content concerns.
I loved this book! It's an inspiring, informational autobiography of a young Malawian inventor that beautifully captures the African spirit. "Where the world sees trash, Africa recycles. Where the world sees junk, Africa sees rebirth." Thank you to everyone who recommended it for our Africa unit study this year; it checks so many of my boxes--rural life, city life, biography, African author, hopeful bent...! As a tech person, I also adore the passionate "you can do STEM as a kid with what you have" message. I also love the implicit acknowledgement that he didn't do it alone, by showing all the ways he was supported by his friends and family (even if he got a little puffed up from time to time).
Target audience: The author is very passionate about the technology he's learned about, so there are a number of (very accessible) explanations of things he figured out how to fix or build from scratch, including his windmill, a light switch, circuit breaker, AC vs DC current, radios, batteries, and many other topics mostly in the category of electrical engineering. Because of this and lengthy descriptions of a severe and tragic famine his family survived, I would guess this is appropriate for middle school or older. I have young children so I can't gauge this well, but Amazon says as low as 5th grade.
I loved this book! It's an inspiring, informational autobiography of a young Malawian inventor that beautifully captures the African spirit. "Where the world sees trash, Africa recycles. Where the world sees junk, Africa sees rebirth." Thank you to everyone who recommended it for our Africa unit study this year; it checks so many of my boxes--rural life, city life, biography, African author, hopeful bent...! As a tech person, I also adore the passionate "you can do STEM as a kid with what you have" message. I also love the implicit acknowledgement that he didn't do it alone, by showing all the ways he was supported by his friends and family (even if he got a little puffed up from time to time).
Target audience: The author is very passionate about the technology he's learned about, so there are a number of (very accessible) explanations of things he figured out how to fix or build from scratch, including his windmill, a light switch, circuit breaker, AC vs DC current, radios, batteries, and many other topics mostly in the category of electrical engineering. Because of this and lengthy descriptions of a severe and tragic famine his family survived, I would guess this is appropriate for middle school or older. I have young children so I can't gauge this well, but Amazon says as low as 5th grade.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic
- The narrator describes local beliefs and customs regarding "witch doctors" and "wizards", but they are portrayed as charlatans. A few stories are told about the rumors people tell about curses and cures, and the narrator in his childhood had someone cut his skin and put a "potion" on it to give him superhuman strength, then realizes he's been had when he starts and loses a fight.
- Other spiritual content: the narrator's father is a Presbyterian minister. A habit of going to church is mentioned once. I count four instances of "my God" used as an exclamation equivalent to "wow". Other mentions of God are: "with God on your side, [the wizards] have no power against you," "God has blessed you," "it was as if God was rewarding us for our sacrifice," a heartfelt "I pray God blesses them all," and a one-line explanation of the Noah story when saying his family nicknamed him Noah--"everyone laughed at Noah, but look what happened."
- A number of chapters are dedicated to the 2001 famine in Malawi. This includes mass starvation and all that entails--large crowds begging, babies crying and mothers begging for anything to feed them, people eating what is normally not considered edible, some theft and a crowd panic at a distribution location, detailed descriptions of the physical effects of death by starvation, people dying by the roadside.
- Brief mention of men who waste their lives away taking small jobs to pay for a night of drinking alcohol.
- There's an explanation of the deforestation happening in Malawi, what it does to the rest of the country's environment, and how it affects the health of the people living in the region.
- In case anyone has a problem with insects, there are a few swarms depicted. Botflies coming out of a latrine (when describing a diarrheal disease outbreak), termites destroying a roof and landing all over the boy's bedroom, and ants on the swollen tongue of a dead animal.
- There is a dog death. The dog slowly starves until the boy is told to put him out of his misery. The dog is tied to a tree overnight and gives up and dies after seeing the boy walk away.
- Other spiritual content: the narrator's father is a Presbyterian minister. A habit of going to church is mentioned once. I count four instances of "my God" used as an exclamation equivalent to "wow". Other mentions of God are: "with God on your side, [the wizards] have no power against you," "God has blessed you," "it was as if God was rewarding us for our sacrifice," a heartfelt "I pray God blesses them all," and a one-line explanation of the Noah story when saying his family nicknamed him Noah--"everyone laughed at Noah, but look what happened."
- A number of chapters are dedicated to the 2001 famine in Malawi. This includes mass starvation and all that entails--large crowds begging, babies crying and mothers begging for anything to feed them, people eating what is normally not considered edible, some theft and a crowd panic at a distribution location, detailed descriptions of the physical effects of death by starvation, people dying by the roadside.
- Brief mention of men who waste their lives away taking small jobs to pay for a night of drinking alcohol.
- There's an explanation of the deforestation happening in Malawi, what it does to the rest of the country's environment, and how it affects the health of the people living in the region.
- In case anyone has a problem with insects, there are a few swarms depicted. Botflies coming out of a latrine (when describing a diarrheal disease outbreak), termites destroying a roof and landing all over the boy's bedroom, and ants on the swollen tongue of a dead animal.
- There is a dog
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
I picked up this book numerous times at the library, but always put it back on the shelf--probably because of the yellow jacket, a prejudice which I have never understood about myself. But after reading a glowing review, I checked it out. And I'm glad that I did. What an inspiring read. William Kamkwamba was born and raised in Malawi in a small village. Forced to leave school at age 14 because his parents could no longer afford his tuition, he continues to try to find books which he can read and study. Reading about windmills, he realized that a windmill could bring electricity and running water to his rural village. Unbelievably, only about 2% of the citizens of Malawi have electricity and running water. Obviously, no one throught that he could build a windmill because of the poverty in which he lived. However, using scrap metal, the frames from old bicycles, and tractor parts, William is able to build a windmill that powered four lights with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made of nails and wire. A second windmill provided the power to turn a water pump allowing the village to have running water with which to fight the frequent droughts that threatened their crops. This book celebrates the power of one individual with a dream to transform their tiny part of the world.
Didn’t get to the heart of the story until halfway through.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
To think a book about windmills can be so inspiring! A great biography about an exceptional boy in a country few people know exist. If you have been to, or plan to go to, Malawi this is a must read!
inspiring
slow-paced
Loved the story, but the telling of it felt more winding than I maybe was looking for