William lived with his parents and six sisters in the village of Wimbe located in Malawi. His family struggled with famine and poor crops. William's father could not afford to send him to school. But William had a dream. A dream that started by picking up a library book and realizing he could use the wind for power. His experiments with wind were not without problem, but finally he was able to build a windmill that could power a light bulb. I love a great true story, and this is one of them. The Young Adult version that I read was easy to read and told a compelling story of a boy who overcomes odds to help his family and his village. I love William's humor and his scientific mind. He never lets anything keep him down and is willing to try new things until he finds a solution. I highly recommend William's TED Talks to learn more about his story along with the movie, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, to learn more about his story. Granted I watched the movie first, and I was a little disappointed that more about his sister (or actually six sisters) was not in the book. However, the book adds a lot to your understanding of how he was able to develop the windmill.
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In 2008, Nya walks to the water every day to gather water for her family, taking the entire day. In 1985, Salva makes another walk, away from his family, away from Sudan to save his life and avoid the fighting. Salva faces thirst, lions, and crocodiles as he becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan. Park wrote this story based on Salva's life experience. It's hard to read about the hardships and loss Salva suffered as he travels to Ethiopia. What makes it even harder is knowing all of it is true. To think that someone of middle school age could survive such a journey is nothing short of miraculous. Whatever we suffer is nothing compared to Salva's story. It helps you gain some perspective and hope in the human spirit. It reminds us that mankind is capable of great evil and great good. |
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