| Three Cups of Tea (Young Reader's Edition) |
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What You Need to Know:
• What an amazing, beautiful and important story of one man's quest to help others.
• This book makes a great book club selection for young readers.
• There are three versions of this story in the marketplace, an adult version, this one for middle grade readers, and a
picture book. |
Sweet Book Summary:
Service to others was instilled early in Greg Mortenson, who grew up in Africa where his parents went to teach in a girl's school in Tanzania. In adulthood, Mortenson took to climbing mountains, and took on the challenge of getting to the peak of K2, in honor of his younger sister who had died. When Mortenson took a wrong turn descending K2, he got lost and wandered into a Pakistani village, where he ended up being nursed back to health by a Pakistani family in their mud hut. It was during this convalescence he saw the great need for schools for the children of these remote villages, especially the girls. "Greg watched and listened as the children sang Pakistan's national anthem to start their school day. He saw Twaha's seven year old daughter, Jahan, standing tall and straight beneath her headscarf as she sang. When the song ended, they sat down in the dirt and began writing out their multiplication tables...Can you imagine a fourth-grade class in America, alone, without a teacher, sitting there quietly and working on their lessons? Greg asked later. I felt like my heart was being torn out....I knew I had to do something." Spurred by the kindness he was shown in his time of need by these relative strangers, Greg promised to return and build a school.
And so began Mortenson odyssey of building nearly 80 schools so far in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mortenson's belief in education for all children and the idea of "books and not bombs" is the beacon that guides him on this personal quest. Three Cups of Tea is the story of the epiphany Greg has that sets him on this journey and the early days as he becomes a champion of education in this remote and dangerous part of the world, Afghansistan and Pakistan. The story will keep you and your child riveted, for Greg goes up against all odds to see his vision through: danger, personal poverty and illness to name just a few. Greg Mortenson is an example of a very special human being, who devotes his entire being to the service of others. This is such an important book, and I am so glad they made a version for children. It was children who gave Greg his first donation!
My daughter and I recently read this for our Mother/Daughter book club, and what a wonderful pick. The discussion was rich and enlightening for the children and the mothers in our group. I was so impressed by our girls! Each girl in our group took something worthwhile away from this text. So much so, that the girls have planned their own fundraiser for next month. Some of us read the book with our children, and some of the more mature 9 year olds were able to read this book themselves and get much out of it. You know your child, so you can proceed how you see fit.
Click here for more info about Three Cups of Tea.
Click here for more info about the Pennies for Peace project, to raise funds for this cause. |
Author: Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin Illustrator: N/A Published: 2009, 240 pages
Themes: Adventure, Friendship, Determination, Biography, Good Book Club Selection |
If You Liked This Book, Try:
Listen to the Wind, Susan L. Roth
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time, Greg Mortenson |
| This recommendation was written by: Melissa Y. |
| Support Independent Book Shops: Click Here to Buy this Book on IndieBound |
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THe girls agreed it was a bit difficult to "get into" the book during the first chapter or so, but then it became very engaging.