The New York Times bestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent … African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way.
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An excellent story on a real world problem.
This is a wonderful book about the human impact of the wars in South Sudan and the surrounding countries. It can be read easily by teens and read to kids around ten. We don’t realize what something simple like a water source can mean to people. The book centers on a boy whose village is rampaged during the Sudan crisis. It’s a true story.
Read it in one sitting – it’s lot long – but the account of the experiences of one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” is heart wrenching. I was left with the feeling that we are just so blessed to have been spared such tragedy in our nation – so far!!! This is a wonderful story of courage, perseverance and restoration.
This is the best book I ever read
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is based on the true 1985 flight of a Sudanese boy, Salva,11. Each chapter starts with a fictional but realistic section about a young girl, Nya, in southern Sudan beginning in 2008. Nya must make two very long walks daily to fetch water for her family. In reading this poignant account, I imagined that the two stories would intersect, and they eventually do in a surprising and satisfying way.
Salva was at school when the Second Sudanese Civil War finally reached his village. The war began two years earlier between the Muslim-dominated government in the north and the non-Muslim coalition in the south. As marauders approached his school, the teacher told the students to run and to keep going. Salva couldn’t return to his village or to his family because that was where the conflict was taking place. He quickly became separated from the other school children, but eventually found other people to travel with, though they were strangers.
Years passed while Salva walked through Sudan and eventually to Ethiopia going from one refugee camp to another, eventually making his way to a camp in Kenya. By this time he was one of what are now known as “The Lost Boys.” He had been away from his village for eleven years, years of grueling travel or of barely surviving crowded refugee camps.
Nya’s continuing story struck a familiar note for me. Having spent two years in West Africa with the Peace Corps in the small country of The Gambia, I know the value and sometimes scarcity of clean water. Daily I saw young girls come to a fresh-water well close to where we lived, fill huge tubs of water, heft the heavy loads onto their heads, and then walk back to some distant village.
How Nya and Salva’s stories eventually come together is heart warming and shows the price so many in Africa have paid pursuing basic human needs. Salva’s true story is daunting, yet inspiring. Unfortunately, Nya’s story is typical in much of Africa. I recommend A Long Walk to Water for people from ages 9 to 99.
It was Inspiring and amazing
I think it is cool that the book is about a war in another state then mine
5/8/21 – An easy read about the lost boys of Sudan. I read this not realizing initially it was meant for a YA audience. The story was interesting and approachable for young readers, though as an adult, left me wanting more of the story.
it was good.
i have this at school i cryed
I’m not sure how to put my feelings into words. Such a small book with a powerful and heart breaking story. A story most of us will never experience or understand the pain of.
I really enjoyed the way it was laid out…intertwining two different stories from two different time periods that end up together at the end. Definitely worth the read.
it was a very great book to read it was enteresting
this book is terrible
At my granddaughter’s 9th birthday party, she decided to give me a book; A LONG WALKT TO WATER. She knew how much I like to read and wanted to gift me with a book.
I do remember the news of the “The Lost Boys”. It was enlightening to hear of actual accounts. Thru the hardships there was perseverance. Thru his very difficult life, he still gave back to others. What a wonderful person!
Best book ever
This book is a dual POV, every other chapter follows a character in a different decade, but the characters has similar struggles. Beautiful and meaningful story.
It really made me realize not everyone has it easy.
This book showed me how life is so different for everyone , and we need to take into consideration about what other people are going through even if we are countries away .
Every one will love this book older or younger.
it’s a good book trust me