The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

What is One School, One Book?

The goal of our "One School, One Book" initiative is to captivate staff, students, and families in an opportunity to read, discuss and engage around the same text to build background knowledge, promote character, and the importance of literacy.

Mapleton Middle School will be giving each student and teacher a book that they can read and enjoy together as a reading community. Students are also encouraged to share the book with their families as well.

Introduction

Prepare to be amazed. Prepare to be inspired. Prepare to have a new favorite book.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind can do all of those things. To call it another inspiring must-read doesn’t do it justice. Yes, it has all of the components of a heartfelt hometown hero story.

An unlikely hero? Check. An against-all-odds situation? Check. Tragedy and hardship? Check. A youth full of determination and dreams of helping others? Check.

This book has it all. But William Kamkwamba’s story transcends the typical survivalist story with his unabashed and simple retelling of how his desire to help his family – combined with a few books from the local library – truly changed the world.