William Kamkwamba

Discover the life of William Kamkwamba, the Malawian inventor and engineer, who overcame poverty and famine to build windmills from recycled materials that brought electricity to his village.

Little William grew up in a small village in Malawi. His parents were farmers, so every day after school William and his six sisters helped them tend the corn. One year, it rained so little that the fields dried up and William’s family could hardly pick any corn. With not much to eat and unable to afford school, William had to quit studying. But William refused to stop learning. So, whenever he had the chance, he went to the library.

One day, he found a book that gave him a great idea: using the wind to make electricity and pump water for the corn! Of course, building a windmill from scratch was no easy task, but William was determined to make it happen. And he did. As soon as the wind started blowing, the blades began to turn and the tiny light bulb that William held in his hands lit up. It was an invention that would eventually bring water to the corn in his village and transform life for people across Malawi.

This thoughtful book features quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of William’s life. His story shows the importance of resourcefulness and the power of education, and the ability to overcome challenges, inspiring children to think creatively and make a positive impact in their communities.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director in constant search of new concepts for children’s books. In 2014, she created a book for her two twin nieces for their birthday, which shortly thereafter became the first book in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. This multimillion-copy bestselling series of picture books explores the lives of outstanding people. From Mahatma Gandhi to Aretha Franklin, to Prince, Sánchez Vegara researches complex careers and makes them accessible to young children, with her unique and mindful style of writing. She works with a diverse team of illustrators to make each book lively, eye-catching and motivating. Working for more than fifteen years for clients in top advertising agencies, her books combine creativity with learning, aiming to establish a new and fresh relationship between children and pop culture. ​

Kirsti Beautyman works from her studio in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, using a range of mediums to build layers of texture and detail which are combined digitally to create her illustrations. She finds inspiration within mundane observations and is often staring vacantly into the distance thinking up narratives and ideas. Kirsti won Picture Hooks Illustrator of the Year Award in 2017.