A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
Review by: Chris Singer
About the author:
Linda Sue Park is the author of the Newbery Medal book A Single Shard, many other novels, several picture books, and most recently a book of poetry: Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo (Poems). She lives in Rochester, New York, with her family, and is now a devoted fan of the New York Mets. For more infromation visit www.lspark.com.
About the book:
A Long Walk to Water is based on the true story of Salva, one of some 3,800 Sudanese “Lost Boys” airlifted to the United States beginning in the mid 1990s.
Before leaving Africa, Salva’s life is one of harrowing tragedy. Separated from his family by war and forced to travel on foot through hundreds of miles of hostile territory, he survives starvation, animal attacks, and disease, and ultimately leads a group of about 150 boys to safety in Kenya. Relocated to upstate New York, Salva resourcefully learns English and continues on to college. Eventually he returns to his home region in southern Sudan to establish a foundation that installs deep-water wells in remote villages in dire need of clean water. This poignant story of Salva’s life is told side-by-side with the story of Nya, a young girl who lives today in one of those villages.
Watch the trailer:
My take on the book:
Many books have been written about the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan yet I haven’t ever seen anything written for 9-12 year olds until A Long Walk To Water. I’m very familiar with the story of the Lost Boys as I worked for some time with a few of the Lost Boys who were resettled in Lansing, Michigan. Salva’s story is similar to many of the boys I met and spoke with, yet I never tire of hearing their incredibly inspirational stories. In fact, every time I read one of these stories I’m often moved to tears. Salva’s story, as told through the writing of Linda Sue Park, was no different.
I’m thrilled that Linda Sue Park wrote this for middle readers. If there’s ever a story about the harsh realities of life in some parts of the world, which could provide some much needed perspective to American 9-12 year olds it would be A Long Walk to Water. While many of our kids
Thanks! for the great review of this book,I must read this one.
Thanks Mary Ann! I’d be surprised if you didn’t read this book in one sitting. It’s quite powerful.