A Long Walk to Water
by Linda Sue Park
Adventure
Historical Fiction
Realistic Fiction
Review #1
* * * * Stars (Great!)
This book follows two stories. It starts with the story of Salva Dut in 1985. Throughout his life, the only home that Salva knew until the age of 11 was the small, South Sudanese village he lived in. He’s forced to flee his village to avoid the ongoing civil war in his country. After being separated from his family, Salva spends much of the next decade of his life wandering across the country with other refugees, trying to find a safe place. Then there’s the story of Nya, a young girl who wanders and spends most of her time walking to and from a large pond, miles away from her family’s village in 2008. She gathers water in a gourd and brings it home, to pour it into a larger pot and do it all again. Back again to Salva’s story. Now, will Salva and Nya’s paths someday collide to address a larger problem? Read the book to find out!
This book made for a great read since it is written in a lyrical narrative and has a timeless style of language. I loved diving deeper into Salva’s and Nya’s stories. The fact that this book is based on actual events truly astonishes me. To think that Salva survived for years as a refugee from the war and continues to help people in Africa who have no water is truly inspirational. I am glad that Linda Sue Park provided a platform where Salva could share his inspiring story and continue to bring awareness to this topic. For upper elementary and middle school kids.
