During the months of September and October, One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern invites the community to engage in reading, educational programming, and entertainment that focus on one central theme.

This year’s featured book for The One Book Project is “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” a story about survival and perseverance. The memoir focuses on a heroic young inventor who brings electricity to his Malawian village.

The goal of the project is meant, “to pull a community together, cross cultural divides, and enhance understanding of our diversity, all while supporting literacy,” the library’s website says. 

Jillian Fritch, an elementary school teacher, began the Project in 2011. She was inspired to begin the Project here in Bakersfield after reading a story in the Los Angeles Times about the project, according to Kern County Library website. 

It wasn’t long before other community members collaborated including; education, nonprofits, local government, businesses, and media outlets. 

In 2010, the One Book Project began a partnership with California State University, Bakersfield’s ‘Runner Reader Program,’ also involving students reading a common book. Since then, it’s allowed for benefited extended programming, including author visits and talks at California State University of Bakersfield.

CSUB will host the next Author Visit and Signing with William Kamkwamba October 30th at 7:00 pm at the CSUB Icardo Center, based on his reading of “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.” Kamkwamba will be discussing his success in building a windmill in his Malawian community.

Other upcoming One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern events:

• Book Discussion:
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • September 7 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Location: Taft Library Branch
• Color Me Mine:
  • Coloring and Conversation on the theme of ‘wind’
  • September 20 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am
  • Location: Frazier Park Branch Library
• Preschool Story Time:
  • One Plastic Bag, by: Miranda Paul
  • September 24 from 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
  • Location: Southwest Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • September 25 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Location: Wilson Branch Library
• Family Movie Night:
  • The 11th Hour
  • September 26 from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
  • Location: Southwest Branch Library
• Blackout Poetry:
  • Inspired by the poetry in the book Soft Magic, by: Upile Chisala
  • October 3 from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  • Location: Southwest Branch Library
• LEGO Build It:
  • Creating a LEGO Windmill
  • October 4 from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
  • Location: Ridgecrest Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • What Color is My World, by: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
  • October 4 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
  • Location: Wilson Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • Soft Magic, by: Upile Chisala
  • October 8 from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
  • Location: Taft Branch Library
• Documentary and Book Discussion:
  • William and Windmill Showtime
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • October 8 from 5:15 pm – 6:30 pm 
  • Location: Southwest Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • October 9 from 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
  • Location: Holloway-Gonzales Branch
• Book Discussion:
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • October 9 from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
  • Location: Frazier Park Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • Soft Magic, by: Upile Chisala
  • October 9 from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
  • Location: Wilson Branch Library
• S.T.E.A.M Activities Club
  • Creating a structure that the “Big Bad Wolf” can’t blow down and pinwheel
  • October 11 from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
  • Location: Ridgecrest Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • What Color is My World, by: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
  • October 16 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Location: Taft Branch Library
• Color Me Mine:
  • Coloring and Conversation on the theme of ‘wind’
  • October 18 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am
  • Location: Frazier Park Branch Library
• Movie:
  • William and Windmill Showtime
  • October 19 from 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Location: Ridgecrest Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • October 22 from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
  • Location: Taft Branch Library
• Art 101:
  • Cave Finger Painting Project
  • October 23 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
  • Location: Delano Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • October 26 from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
  • Location: Ridgecrest Branch Library
• Book Discussion:
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by: William Kamkwamba
  • October 30 from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
  • Location: Wilson Branch Library

Photo courtesy of Kern County Library Facebook page