A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Park, Linda Sue. (2010).  A long walk to water. Boston: Clarion Books.

            Salva is fortunate to attend school in the Sudan in 1985.  His family, while far from rich, is prosperous and Salva recognizes the benefits that education can bring.  A normal 11 year old boy, he daydreams at school of play time with his brothers, hunting in the bush and tending the herds of cattle his father owns.  One day his dreaming is shattered by the noise of gunfire outside in the play yard.    All the boys know about the war between those in control of the Muslim government in northern Sudan and the tribal people of the south.  Salva heads for the bush with the rest of his classmates, as they run away from their homes, run to escape the militant rebels, run for their lives.  Thus begins his long journey—the journey to water and survival.

            Nya is a young southern Sudanese girl of 2008.  As a girl, she cannot attend school like the boys; her job is to trek the four hours to the nearest water hole and gather it for her family, then return balancing the water jar on her head.  When the dry season comes, Nya and her family uproot themselves and camp by the muddy pond bed, digging with their hands to capture any remaining drops of liquid in order to sustain themselves.  Nya’s journey to water is fraught with its own perils, including that of disease from unclean water sources.  The thirst for water is the driving force behind every action Nya and her family must take to survive.     

            Based on the true story of Salva Dut and Nya, a young person he meets later in his life, A Long Walk to Water is told from their alternating points of view.  Although the story is rooted in actual events, Parks writes the narrative with the energy and passion of a novel.  The reader is kept wondering and turning the page to see what will happen to Salva and Nya throughout the book.  The story may be recommended for students as young as fifth grade because the prose is uncomplicated and the vocabulary simple;   however, readers of this age will need guidance in realizing that this is not a simple adventure story, complete with near brushes of death to the protagonist.  The horror of the Lost Boys of the Sudan is a historical reality and the descriptions of Salva’s ordeal, from losing a friend to a lion’s attack to watching refugees struggle to cross the crocodile-infested waters of the Nile, ring with particular terror.  Nya’s tale, while less shocking, contains its own elements of sorrow and uncertainty.  For that reason, better comprehension will occur in the middle school grades of 7 and 8.  Ideally, pre-reading activities would give some background information on the Sudanese Civil War and the lasting impact felt in Africa today.  The book is also a good recommendation for reluctant or less skilled high school readers because it is fast paced and straightforward.  

Check out these links for supporting information:

 Linda Sue Park and Salva Dut speak about A Long Walk to Water

Learn about Salva's work as an adult

Children in War--UNICEF's information about The Lost Boys of Sudan 

Award Winning Documentary on The Lost Boys official webpage 

Other books about children in war-torn countries:

Book Review of They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky 

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (Sierra Leone conflict)