• Allen READS    
      
    ALLen Reads is a one-book program under the leadership of the Friends of the Allen Public Library.  It is unique in one-book programs in that related books are chosen as “companions” to the main book to promote families and all generations reading and talking together.
      
    Visit the ALLen Reads website for more program information.  
    Another great source of information is the Friends of the Allen Public Library newsletter for September and October
     
     
     
    Main Book:
     
    The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
    by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
    recommended for Grade 9 through Adult
     
    The boy who harnessed the wind  

    William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger. But William had read about windmills, and he dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village a set of luxuries that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. His neighbors called him misala—crazy—but William refused to let go of his dreams. With a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks; some scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves; and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to forge an unlikely contraption and small miracle that would change the lives around him.

    The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a remarkable true story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. It will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him. 

       
     
     Bryan Mealer, author
     bryan mealer
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Make plans to take part in these ALLen Reads programs:
     

    Recycled Art Windmills / Monday, September 30th at 4:45 – 5:30 p.m.

    Recommended for grades K – 3 with their caregivers in the Children’s Program Room. Create unique works of art out of recycled materials to celebrate this year’s Allen Reads book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

     

    Concerts for Young Audiences / Sunday October 6th at 3:00 p.m. 

    The Allen Philharmonic returnsto the stage in the Civic Auditorium of the Allen Public Library with our fall Concerts for Young Audiences program. This free concert is certain to delight kids of all ages! In partnership with the ALLen Reads One Book program, we will share an hour of music all about science, invention, and technology. Based on themes from this year’s book selection, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind highlights of the program include Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter, Robert Smith’s The Great Locomotive Chase, as well as the second movement of Florence Prices’ Ethiopia’s Shadow. Our Conductor Ryan Ross will present a fun and visual exploration of how composers actually cobble together ideas to create a new piece of music. Pre-concert activities begin at 2:00 p.m.

     

    Author, Bryan Mealer / Saturday, October 19th at 2:00 p.m.
     
    Meet the award-winning journalist who helped bring William's story to life at the Allen Public Library. A Book Signing will follow the presentation; books will be available for purchase.
     
     
    Movie Night at Allen Public Library: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind / Tuesday, October 22nd at 7:00 p.m.
     
    The ALLen Reads One Book program concludes with the showing of the Netflix film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Chiwetel Ejiofor, an English actor of Nigerian descent, made his feature debut as a writer and director of this film, drawing attention to Kamkwamba’s story of building the windmill and depicting the boy’s family life and the perils of farming in early-2000s Malawi.
      
     
    Companion Books:
     
    The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind: Young Reader's Edition
    by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
    Recommended for Grade 4 and up
     
     
    the boy who harnessed the wind Young reader's edition  
     
    Retold for a younger audience, this exciting memoir shows how, even in a desperate situation, one boy's brilliant idea can light up the world.
    Complete with photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story, this is the perfect edition to read and share with the whole family. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Picture Book Edition
    by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
    Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon
    Recommended for Grades K through 4 
     
    the boy who harnessed the wind picture book
     This beautifully illustrated picture book of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind 
    allows even the youngest readers access to William's remarkable story.
    Be sure to read the authors' notes at the end for additional insights.
     
     
     
     
     
     
      
     
     
     
      
     
    Educator Resources:
     
     
     
     
     
     
Last Modified on September 18, 2019