The Mighty Solar Battery – Book Review
by Alan Kemp
How a Solar Battery Rebate can save the day in Brisbane
If you’re looking for a super cute, fun children’s book that also teaches a fun lesson about electricity, you need to check out The Mighty Solar Battery. This is the perfect book for someone who wants equal parts educational and entertaining.
Alan Kemp has created a humorous, fast-paced story intended fur curious kids aged five to ten, that blends STEM education with environmental awareness. Every morning in Brisbane, the city woke up to the sounds of Steve, Bobby, and Mick. But this particular day – a Wednesday – things would go a bit differently.
The story begins with a crisis: a strong storm turns Brisbane into a pitch-black place, cutting out radio broadcasts and leaving beloved radio broadcasters Bobby, Mick, and Stav in a panic. Trees were down and powerlines had snapped, and the city was quieter than ever.
There wouldn’t be any morning show today, it seems…
A sudden FaceTime call from the Prime Minister, however, just as they are about to give up, starts a crazy and amazing rescue effort that is driven by solar energy and camaraderie rather than superheroes or magic.
See, they had solar panels on the building, but without a battery, they were useless in a blackout. But then they learn, all is not hopeless after all!
At the center of this exciting tale is Alan, a well-liked local celebrity from Queensland Solar & Lighting. With his dependable Growatt solar battery, Alan comes to the rescue, proving that creativity and tenacity can not only light up houses but also reinvigorate an entire city.
Kemp expertly blends fact and fiction to demonstrate to children the practical benefits of renewable energy, particularly in light of climate change and power grid vulnerabilities, through the use of Alan, a character based on a real-life solar installation.
It’s a sweet story that teaches kids about solar, encourages STEM thinking, promotes environmental awareness, and also features some fun, real-life Aussie heroes. The book was inspired by the 2025 solar battery rebate.
And I got a real kick out of the fact that while reading the book and writing this review, I had my own blackout due to an extreme heat wave in my area, followed by summer thunderstorms. I have been very much regretting that I never got that solar hooked up for my home. 🙂
Check out the website here, and you can also get the book on Amazon in Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.