The Farmer Effect
Dr. Paul Farmer, who passed away in 2022, left behind a legacy that this book captures beautifully for a younger audience. Michael French’s adaptation does a great job of focusing on the narrative—the 'adventure' of global medicine—rather than getting bogged down in the policy wonkery that made Tracy Kidder’s original adult version a bit of a slog for some.
What makes this book work is the tension between Farmer’s Harvard education and his boots-on-the-ground reality in Haiti. He isn't just a guy writing checks; he’s a guy hiking for hours to deliver medicine to a single patient because he believes that one person's life is worth the effort. That kind of radical commitment is something kids don't see often in modern media, which usually favors quick wins and viral moments.
"The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world."
If your kid is a fan of audiobooks, this is a great candidate for a family listen on a long road trip. It’s the kind of story that naturally leads to 'Wait, why is it like that?' questions from the backseat. It also pairs well with any school curriculum involving social studies or biology. It’s not just a biography; it’s a blueprint for intentional living.
The grown-up original: This is the official young readers adaptation of Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder — Tracy Kidder's own retelling, at a length and reading level a middle-schooler can finish. When they close this one and want more, the original is the natural next step.
