by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
adapted by Sarah Thomson
Penguin Young Readers Group, 2009
ISBN 9-780-142414-125
$10.00, 240 pp, b/w and colour photos, glossary reader’s guide, ages 8 – 12
www.penguin.ca
Three Cups of Tea is the inspiring true story of how Greg Mortenson, an American mountain climber, became an international humanitarian who is dedicating his life to building schools in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This Young Readers Edition is an adaptation of the award-winning book of the same name. His chosen mission in life began when Mortenson became separated from his porter on a climb of K2, and was rescued and cared for by the people of Korphe, a small village in northern Pakistan. In gratitude, he promised to return and build them a school, beginning a process with far-reaching effects and a multitude of supporters that resulted in the building of more than sixty schools in Central Asia over the next ten years. Mortenson’s belief in education and its essential role in world peace drives his work, and his story will touch the hearts of young readers everywhere. This edition includes an interview with Mortenson’s daugher, Amira, who was twelve at the time of writing, and who participates in her father’s efforts to promote peace and understanding through education.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s May 2009 issue.