Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea
By Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth, Collages by Susan L. Roth
Dial, 2009
Book Review by Pooja Makhijani
From Kahani Summer 2009



The New York Times bestseller Three Cups of Tea (Puffin, 2009) tells the story of how Dr. Greg Mortenson’s failed climb up the mountain K2 (the second-tallest mountain in the world) inspired him to build schools in remote regions in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Young Readers’ edition has been adapted for readers ages 9 to 12 and updated with photos, illustrations, a glossary, and an interview with Amira Mortenson, Greg’s 12-year-old daughter. Listen to the Wind (Dial, 2009) is a picture book that describes Dr. Greg’s first school in Pakistan. The story is written from the point of view of the students of the school in Korphe. This reviewer wonders whether Dr. Greg asked the children how they felt about all of this; they seem extraordinarily grateful to this American man. However, Susan L. Roth’s collages are colorful and full of texture and detail; young readers should get their hands on the book for the artwork alone.