Not what I expected, and I'm trying to get over that, because I do like that it is set in Bangledesh, science/sustainability related and empowering to children of all backgrounds -- great stuff!

However, I agree with several other reviewers as well: it's not really Iqbal's idea, it's something they research in class. It's not actually a sustainable project for monsoon season, so it doesn't address the main problem that he's hoping to solve (except by winning the fair), and can they afford to refill the propane bottles indefinitely? It's odd that mother is spending all day cooking during Ramadan (although I suppose there is a larger meal in the evening so maybe that makes sense, but seems confusing to me). I also am glad that little sister is going to school and is allowed to be the assistant, but he didn't really listen to her ideas, or think of her as capable of doing the project on her own, so that's frustrating. ( )

This book offers the cultural setting of Bangladesh. Iqbal is the main character who has the goal of building a smokeless stove to reduce sickness. The book is also very in depth on the process required to build a solar cooker. With that in mind, I think it would be cool to read this book while learning about solar energy and then build a solar cooker like Iqbal. ( )

Iqbal and His Ingenious Idea tells the story of a young boy named Iqbal who wants to do a sustainability science project to help a critical problem within his small village in Bangladesh. With descriptive imagery and details, the book emphasizes the details towards imaging the everyday life in Bangladesh regarding monsoon season. Due to monsoons affecting the ability to remain outside, Iqbal becomes concerned towards his mother’s health when his mother has to cook with firewood inside the house, therefore releasing smoke and pollutants among the inside air. Iqbal then uses this issue to come up with an idea to do his sustainability project over. By seeing his parents’ health becoming increasingly worse, Iqbal comes up with the ingenious idea to make sustainable smokeless cooking, solar cooking, so his parents will not have inhale the smoke released when cooking. Iqbal considers solar cooking for the fact that it releases no pollutants, no flames, does not consume electricity, does not burn wood, and uses the sun as a power source. Iqbal is then responsible for executing this idea to create a sustainable cooking source. This book is a great read towards young readers as it gives them an idea of climate’s impact on certain communities all over the world. Additionally, this book serves well towards representing South Asian, specifically Bangladesh, culture towards the young readers. This book can be use within history, science, and English content areas as it provides a variety of content topics covered. Towards history, this book can be used to portray the variety of different cultures all over the world. Among science, this book is a great read that represents developing renewable, sustainable resources, climate impacts on the environment, and pollution. Furthermore, among English, this book can be used to evaluate the vivid imagery that this book represents in the reading. I absolutely would love this book for my students at it has a great representation of Bangladesh culture and covers science content topics! ( )

An informative and creative picture book that describes Iqbal's concern for his family's well-being transform into an inspiration to build his own cooking stove. The author has definitely made their research and has simplified it in a manner that children will still remain engaged in the reading. The book provides wonderfully drawn pictures and facts on air pollution that may surprise them. I would recommend this book in a middle school science classroom as a fun introduction to air pollution and its effects on the environment. ( )