A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park

Aug 02, 2011 Judith Weaver rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: grades 5 and up

Quick read good for multiple ability levels.This book should be an easy inclusion into 7th grade Geography, 6th grade world history, or as an addition to a Holocaust unit. This is how I plan to use it with my 7th grade reading teacher. For younger readers, this book may encourage a class to adopt a project to help bring water to children their age in other places in the world.

Book is told from two viewpoints. One is a girl walking each day to get the water her family needs which she carries home...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Krista the Krazy Kataloguer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-childrens-books, 52-countries-in-2012, read-historical-fiction

This novel is divided into two alternating narratives that come together in the end. In brown print is the story, set in 2008, of Nya, a young girl from Sudan who has to walk 8 hours round trip to fetch water every day, twice a day. In black print is the story of Salva, a young Sudanese boy whose village is attacked by the rebels in 1985 and who ends up fleeing across the desert to a refugee camp in Ethiopia. After witnessing many horrors, he and other "lost boys," homeless and orphaned, walk ba...more

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May 09, 2013 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literacy-class

Two stories are woven into one in this book based on a true story. Nya is a ten-year-old girl who lives in a village in Southern Sudan. Her life is the same routine every day. Walk half the day to the pond to get water, walk back home, walk the other half of the day to get more water, and then walk back home again for the night. Salva also lives in a village in Southern Sudan. He is eleven-years-old and begins the story at his school when shots ring out. The war has reached his village and he mu...more

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May 02, 2013 Abby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book A Long Walk To Water is based on the true story of Salva, one of the Sudanese "Lost Boys" airlifted to the United States in the 1990s. I really liked this book because of it’s great story. It was told by two different kids in completely different time periods but merged their lives in the end. I really liked going forwards and backwards in time, with the turn of each page.
The story of Salva, was very rural and tense, because people are dropping bombs next to him and he’s sleeping in...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Chester Richmond rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: multicultural-or-civil-rights

This book is based on a true story and tells two stories. In one a boy named Salva is forced to flee from his country of Sudan because of the war conditions. In the other a girl named Nya retrieves water each day for her family taking two long and hard trips. These stories reflect that harsh reality and show the rough life existent in Sudan.
Human bonds seem more important in poorer countries in which alliances could benefit your living conditions. In Sudan this is extremely accurate and the two...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Ishaan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Sudan, water is more precious than gold. You can't eat gold, and without water, you can't eat. It's a dry country at best, but when droughts come, lasting months or years, crops fail, cattle die, and people starve. Water, when available, isn't always clean, so at the best of times, cholera and dysentery are are common. The simple act of getting that water is beyond imagining. It means walking miles to the nearest source, hoping that rival groups don't arrive at the same time so you won't have...more In Sudan, water is more precious than gold. You can't eat gold, and without water, you can't eat. It's a dry country at best, but when droughts come, lasting months or years, crops fail, cattle die, and people starve. Water, when available, isn't always clean, so at the best of times, cholera and dysentery are are common. The simple act of getting that water is beyond imagining. It means walking miles to the nearest source, hoping that rival groups don't arrive at the same time so you won't have to fight or risk being killed to get your jug filled. It means filling that jug and carrying it back home, emptying it into a pail and setting out again. Over and over again, dusk until dawn. Venomous snakes and dangerous animals are so common, they barely rate notice. Children, being of less value than adults, are usually given the job. Since girls are not as valuable as boys, this is typically their task. In families of wealth, the boys attend school while the girls learn to become wives and homemakers...and water carriers.

In the dry season, or during a drought, things get trickier. Entire families spend their days trekking for water, and deadly battles over who got there first are much more frequent. At any time of year, drought or no drought, an added attraction would be run-ins with militia groups...armed thugs on either side of endless rebellions, who shoot first and consider political or religious allegiances second.

In 1985, Salva Dut was 11 years old. The Sudani boy was at school when his family fled from a militia attack, leaving him behind. He joined a ragged band of pilgrims heading to safety...the Ethiopian border. He and his group plodded through deserts where thirst and scorpions took out the weakest, over plains where lions and hyenas picked off stragglers one by one. They waded through swamps where crocodiles grew fat and bloated from the easy prey of men, women and children. Because he was young, Salva couldn't stand up for his share of whatever meager foods were found along the way, so he ate almost nothing on the pilgrimage.

It's hard to read about Salva's journey. It's hard to imagine, in our enlightened times, that this still happens, every day, to millions of people. Not dozens, not hundreds, but millions. Not an exception to life on our planet, but a timeless rule. Salva's story has a happy ending. After spending time in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, he becomes one of a handful of children given the gift of life in the U.S.

As an adult, Salva helped to establish Water for Sudan, a foundation that builds wells and brings clean water to the villages in his home country.

I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind crying a little inside. It is a great memoir, with a very uplifting end, so you won't be sad long.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Shana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just finished reading this book with Payten, my 10 year-old daughter. Such a good book to read with your kids to help them understand how fortunate they are. The story is about a boy named Salva who grew up in southern Sudan in the 80's/90's and endured unimaginable hardships throughout his life. Driven from his home by war, separated from his family, nowhere to go but to refugee camps in far away countries and no way to get there but on foot. And this all happened to him during my lifetime......more

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Jan 15, 2013 Adele rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Long-time known to American audiences, Newbery medal winner Linda Sue Park will be gracing our shores next week as a guest on the Melbourne Writers’ Festival schools’ program. It is a particular honour as Park continues to distinguish herself by writing stories that peel away character’s differences to reveal universal emotions that are felt by all.

‘A Long Walk to Water’ is one of those stories.

It is a story that is partially based on the true story of Salva Dut, a Somalian from the Dinka tribe,...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Barb Middleton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic, courage

I asked a Sudanese boy, from a previous school I worked, if after graduation he planned to go back to Sudan. He said, "I don't know. You have many tribes in America and get along. You don't kill leader... even if you disagree." He was one of four "lost boys" that the school sponsored and this young man's story was one of resilience and courage. He lost an eye to an infection while walking across the desert and watched the bombing of his family's house - with them inside - leaving him an orphan....more I asked a Sudanese boy, from a previous school I worked, if after graduation he planned to go back to Sudan. He said, "I don't know. You have many tribes in America and get along. You don't kill leader... even if you disagree." He was one of four "lost boys" that the school sponsored and this young man's story was one of resilience and courage. He lost an eye to an infection while walking across the desert and watched the bombing of his family's house - with them inside - leaving him an orphan. His story echoes that of Salva Dut Arrik, the true story of a young man who faced the horrors of Sudan's Civil War and the uncertainty of immigrating to another country.

Salva Dut Ariik was at school in 1989 when soldiers came shooting their rifles. He fled into the bush just before a bomb annihilated the school he occupied minutes earlier. A group of people reluctantly let him travel with them, but after one night Salva woke to find the group, not wanting to be burdened by a young eleven-year-old, had left without telling him. Striking out on his own, he met his uncle by chance in another group. Mariel, a boy his age, was in the group as well, and the two became friends as they traveled to a refugee camp. After tragedies and violence, Salva found a new home in the United States.

Nya's story alternates with Salva's as she describes the daily hardship of finding water in 2008. She spends all day hauling water back and forth. The contaminated water caused dysentery in many and she could not go to school or her family would die of thirst. When Salva and her story connect it gave me a deeper appreciation for water and the opportunity to freely learn at school.

Written for grade 5 and up, the author doesn't make this tale too frightening or graphic but focuses on how Salva survives each day with courage. There are deaths and shooting, but only shots are heard by Salva or he sees blood on the ground. Only one episode describes a boy (not one Salva knew) who was shot in the neck during a frantic river crossing with soldiers shooting at refugees. The straightforward and simple writing helps to not overwhelm young readers emotions. This is a terrific tale of hope.

Reading Level 5.0(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bullies, community, cultural-identity, death, families, friendship, homelessness, immigration, languages, multiple-narrators, nbgs, poverty, social-activists, survival, travel, urban-life, war

The two stories that begin on the first page of the book seem at first to have little to do with one another, other than the fact that one takes place in Southern Sudan in 2008 and one takes place in the same area in 1985. But as the stories unfold, readers start to realize what the connection is. Nya's story describes her constant, daily trip to bring water to her family. Over and over, day after day, she walks to the water source and then returns with the water. In Salva's story, there is also...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Shelly added it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, realistic, diversity

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 14, 2012 Zion Martin-hayes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Long Walk To Water book report
Zion Martin- third g
307
The author of the book a long walk to water is Linda Sue Park. She wrote books such as 39 clues, seesaw girl, when my name was Keoko, project mulberry, the third gift, yum yuck. So much more. In 2002 she won the Newberry award for her book a single shepherd, in 2003 she won an ALA notable children’s book for when my name was Keoko, 2000 seesaw girl was the bestselling children book. More awards probably too many. The illustrator is Kayley Le...more Long Walk To Water book report
Zion Martin- third g
307
The author of the book a long walk to water is Linda Sue Park. She wrote books such as 39 clues, seesaw girl, when my name was Keoko, project mulberry, the third gift, yum yuck. So much more. In 2002 she won the Newberry award for her book a single shepherd, in 2003 she won an ALA notable children’s book for when my name was Keoko, 2000 seesaw girl was the bestselling children book. More awards probably too many. The illustrator is Kayley Lefaiver who is a current graphic designer and illustrator. The genre of this book is historical fiction because it is based off a true story. The book is an adventurous book because of Salva’s route to water was hard and dangerous and if Salva hasn’t gone his route Nya would not have an adventure for water. The narrator of this book is Linda Sue Park because she had to interview salva and write as if she were writing a story about someone. The narrator of this book is third person limited, because she only knows about a few characters who are Nya, Uncle and Salva. This affects the story because if it was first person it would have more drama because he experienced it. He would not know what other people feel. If it was second person it would make you feel like your Nya or Salva. A summary of this book goes a little like this. Salva heard gun fire; he knew that the war had started two years ago. When the teacher heard gun fire he ordered everyone to get down and leave. This stared Salva and Nya on their journey to water.
The book takes place in southern Sudan. It takes place in 1985, 1991-2, 1992-6, and 1996-03, 2003-07, 2009 for Salva. 2008 and 2009 for Nya. If the setting took place somewhere else like England then it would not have the same affect because they don’t half to travel long distances for water so they would not have a big adventure to find “water.” It took place in a dry place with very little water and refugee camps also in New York
The Main Characters are Salva. The supporting characters are Nya, Uncle. Salva’s traits are that he is brave because he was afraid of war but now he is leading a group of boys through war. Nya is loyal because she thanked a Dinka man for bringing her water. Uncle is encouraging because in the dessert he showed him to take it one step at a time and eventually you’ll get there. What makes Salva different from other people in the book is that he understands that everyone comes in different shapes and sizes but no matter what you can still help them. What makes Nya different from other people in the book is that no matter who or what tribe your from you should always be polite. What makes uncle different from other people in the book is that he is thought of as a leader because he was brave enough to join the army.
The Characters relate to the plot because nya needs water and salva has water to give with the encouragement from uncle. The protagonist is Salva. The antagonist is Iwater, war and society because those are the main problems in the story. The set up for the story is “crackackackackackackack boom” The sound of gun fire. The story begins when Salva’s teacher tells them to run away from the shooting (home). A relationship that starts is salva and Auntie and Uncle. Some initial problems that start are that nya’s sister gets sick and how her mother prayed for her and began to feel better. Another is that Uncle died but Salva kept going in his steps byleading a group of boys. The turning point in the story is when Salva is chosen to go to America Salva and other boys arrive in America and they are called lost boys. Salva starts a water project for southern sudan.to help build wells for clean water. The resolution is when salva finally does a well for a Nuer tribe instead of Dinka.
One lesson of this book that I learned were, treat others the way you want to be treated this was demonstrated in the story when Salva helped Nya get water to keep on living. Another lesson is never give up this was demonstrated in the story when Salva thought of his southern Sudan project he did not know how it was going to work out but he did not loose hope, this was also demonstrated in the book when Uncle kept encouriging Salva to keep going and soon he’ll get there.
My favorite part of the book wasw chapter thirteen and when you see how Salva And Nya’s story connect. I think the plot was the most compelling literary element because without the plot the two story would not come together as one. I would recommend this book for people who like trajety with happy endings.

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Dec 13, 2012 Mila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book report
A long walk to water
By Mila Zidel

The author is Linda Sue Park. Ms. Park has written six children's novels and five picture books. She was born March 25, 1960 age 52 (at current time) some of her other books are:
1. Seesaw girl
2. A single shard
3. Storm warning
4. 39 clues series

The genre of this book is adventurous however it's also quite sad because the events that happened to the main characters are unbelievably cruel but exciting.
The narrator of this book are the characters Salva an...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Mateo (pokemon time!) Rivera ;) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Long Walk to Water
A book report
By Mateo Rivera

For a read aloud, I read a book called “A Long Walk to Water” the author is Linda Sue Park with help from Salva Dut. Linda sue park is the author of six novels for kids and five picture books. The genre of this book is historical fiction because it is based on things that really happened, with some things made up. This is an adventurous type of book because Salva and Nya both go on journeys one for freedom of a war, and one to get water. The cha...more A Long Walk to Water
A book report
By Mateo Rivera

For a read aloud, I read a book called “A Long Walk to Water” the author is Linda Sue Park with help from Salva Dut. Linda sue park is the author of six novels for kids and five picture books. The genre of this book is historical fiction because it is based on things that really happened, with some things made up. This is an adventurous type of book because Salva and Nya both go on journeys one for freedom of a war, and one to get water. The chapters of the book alternate between Salva and Nya both having a point of view from them. The point of view of this story is, third person meaning we know what the person is thinking and what they are going to do next. Here is a short summary about what happens: Salva is a boy running away from a war with his family no where near him. Nya is a girl who goes to a pond everyday to get water and moves from her home when the pond dries up. These two kids are on a journey for freedom and for water.

The story takes place in Southern Sudan, In the Dut Arrik village. The time for Salva is 1985-2009 and for Nya its 2008-2009. The setting affects the story because if the story takes place somewhere else like America, then the story wouldn’t be good because there’s always water in America, and there’s never wars there either. So the story wouldn’t make place! The location of this story is in the Dut Arrik village, in Southern Sudan.

The main characters of this book are Salva and Nya. Salva has a character trait of braveness because he and a group of boys walked to a refugee camp in Kenya. Nya has a character trait of determination because she didn’t give up on getting water from the well even though she did it eight hours every day! The supporting are Salva’s uncle who has a character trait of loyalty because he was always there for Salva when he needed help, Salva’s dad, Salva’s teacher, Salva’s mom, Mariel Salva’s friend who had a character trait of loyalty because he would always make Salva laugh when he was sad of being away from his family, Nya’s dad, Nya’s brother, Nya’s mom who has character trait of carefulness because she is always worried a bout her husband or in Nyas case, her dad.

The protagonist is Salva. And the antagonist is the war. For Nya’s part of the story, the protagonist is her, and the antagonist is the water, because for the first reason, if you drink the water without it being boiled, then you could get sick and die! The second reason is if your pond dries up then you have to move to a camp near a bigger pond and you won’t really be adjusted to the camp and it might not have that much food for you! And the third and final reason is that when you go to get water you might die of thirst. Even though water can be bad, it could be good because you can drink it and get energy to work. Supporting characters can help the main characters on their journeys such as for Salva’s side of the story, his uncle which helps him with support, protection, and food. For Nya’s side of the story, a supporting character that Nya in her part of the story is her brother Dep, who told her what, was up with the whole water digging. The beginning for the story starts off with Salva’s life is. For Nya’s part of the story it starts off with Nya and explaining how she gets water, the rising action is when there is a shooting at Salva’s school and he runs to a bush. For Nya’s part of the story it’s when her pond dries up and she moves to a different camp, the climax is when uncle dies and now Salva has no one to protect and defend him. The climax for Nya is when the big water balloon pops and water goes everywhere! The falling action is when Salva gets to a refugee camp and stays there for a while until moving to a different camp, where he learned English and how to read and write and that people from a list are being chosen to go to America. For Nya it’s when the well that was being built is almost done, and the resolution is when Salva goes to America, gets a family, and finds his mom, dad, and some siblings and also starts a well making business, and for Nya the resolution is when her well is done and she meets Salva.

A lesson from this story is never give up because Salva never gave up walking, or give up looking for his family which eventually led to him meeting his family again which shows another lesson, hard work pays off.

What I like about this book is how it alternates between two points of view and eventually they meet. Something that hooked me most was the plot and how a boy was walking away from the war and how a girl gets water for her family eight hours every day. I would recommend this book to people who would like to learn more about how people in Sudan survived back then.
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Dec 13, 2012 *Lolo* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book Report

By: Loren Ortiz/LoLo

This book report will on A Long Walk to Water. The author of this book is Linda Sue Park. This author has wrote other books such as some of the Thirty Nine Clues Series and A Single Shard. There are no Illustrators. This book has two different stories.The genre is realistic fiction because it is something that can really happen. The narrators are an eleven year old to 21 year old boy named Salva Dut and an eleven year old girl named Nya. The point of view is 3rd Pe...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Aaron Jaszczor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Long walk to water, book report
Aaron Jaszczor

The author of long walk to water is Linda sue parks. Linda Sue Parks writes many poems and children’s books. For example, her book the “A single shard” she won a Nubery award for that book. The illustrator is Kayley Lefaiver. The publisher is Houghton Mifflin Harcour; Houghton Mifflin Harcour is a Major Publisher of textbooks, reference works, fiction, non-fiction, and educational software and video. The genre of this book is non-fiction and the sub-...more

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Dec 12, 2012 gummy bear ( Brianna S) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author of A Long Walk to Water is Linda Sue Park. There is no illustrator. The genre is biography/adventurous. The book was told from Salv’s (the main character) point of view and Nya’s point of view in first person. If it was any other character telling the story I think it would have not been the same because no other person experienced the emotional loss as Salva did. And with Nya it would not be the same if it was a different character because she was the only one in her family who got w...more The author of A Long Walk to Water is Linda Sue Park. There is no illustrator. The genre is biography/adventurous. The book was told from Salv’s (the main character) point of view and Nya’s point of view in first person. If it was any other character telling the story I think it would have not been the same because no other person experienced the emotional loss as Salva did. And with Nya it would not be the same if it was a different character because she was the only one in her family who got water two or three times a day. It would a great impact on the story and change it almost completely. Because Salva was telling the story it made the story more exciting and adventurous. And it was more personal with Nya’s side of the story. This story is about two stories. One (Salva’s story) is when a young boys home is destroyed Salva embarks on a journey to once again be safe. Two (Nya’s story) is when a girl walks for water for everyday and has to take care of her family and always has to worry about water.
This story takes place in Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The time range for Salva’s story is 1985-2007 Nya’s time range is 2008-2009 .Africa has much more free range and not a lot of enforcing law and that is why this setting is perfect for this story. To be more specific it takes place mostly on the savanna but also at a village, camp, and house.
The main characters are
Salva: young boy who journeys across Africa. Salva is puts others before himself, he never gives up, and he is kind. What makes him different from everybody else is he will do anything to protect innocent people. My proof is when he was leading the “Lost Boys” he made sure everyone was safe while they were resting.
Nya: is girl who carries water every day and is main character. She will also put other before herself. She is caring, considerate, and will bear going every day to the pond for her family. What makes her different from everyone else is she will go through any hardship to make sure her family safe.
The supporting characters are
Salva’s supporting characters:
Uncle: proactive, caring, and trusting
Marial: trusting, kind, and friendly
Michael: good teacher, Friendly, and patient
Nay’s supporting characters:
Aheer: loving and impatient,
Dep: willing to help the family, has leadership, and loving
Without Salva and Nya the plot would not really be explained. I think the characters are the plot. The protagonist (hero) is Nya and Salva. The antagonist (Villain) Salva’s: Sudan rebels Nya: lack of water. How the story begins is: Salva: Salva is at school when Sudan rebels attack their village and he is told to run away from home. Nya: nay makes her daily trip to the pond a few hours from her village. The rising action is: Salva: Salva makes his way down to Ethiopia where he takes shelter at a refugee camp. The climax is when the refugees are told to cross a river that is full if crocodiles! The falling action is when he goes to another refugee camp where he is safe. The resolution is when he is adopted by a family in America.
A lesson in the book would be never give up. My proof is when he goes the deserts that is so hoy at day time but so could a night. He walked for miles each day. He could have just given up, but he never gave up.
I really liked this book. My favorite parts in the book are when he never gave up. I think the setting is the most compelling literally element. Because they don’t really enforce law at that time. And it has much more open space then most countries. I would recommend this book to first grade and up. Because it not too hard and not to easy.
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Dec 12, 2012 Miles Gansho rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author of this book is Linda Sue Park. Linda Sue Park has written picture books,poetry, fiction as well as historical and contemporary books for young readers. She has worked as a journalist, a copywriter and a teacher of English as a second language. This book doesn't have an illustrator. The genre is historical fiction. This book is a drama and an adventure. There are two narrators Salva and Nya they both face a dramatic change in life. The story is written in the third person point of vi...more The author of this book is Linda Sue Park. Linda Sue Park has written picture books,poetry, fiction as well as historical and contemporary books for young readers. She has worked as a journalist, a copywriter and a teacher of English as a second language. This book doesn't have an illustrator. The genre is historical fiction. This book is a drama and an adventure. There are two narrators Salva and Nya they both face a dramatic change in life. The story is written in the third person point of view. It uses word like he/his, she, her to tell the story.This lets us see the problems they face from the outside perspective.
Salva is a school boy until gunshots are fired and he is forced to run away from his home and family. Nya is a girl who has to walk all day everyday to get water for her family to survive. Until two men come and change her live forever.
This story takes place in Southern Sudan, Africa. Salva's story takes place starting in 1985 and ends in 2009. Nya's story takes place from 2008-2009. The setting affects the story because these things couldn't happen in other places. Salva has to cross the Nile river and run away from the war. Nya lives is a very rural area where there is no running water and she doesn't go to school.
The main characters are Nya and Salva. Salva has a large family and his dad has more than one wife. Salva was courageous even though he was scared. He was scared of getting separated from the group or eaten by wild animals and never seeing his family again. He didn't complain and he kept up with the group. He kept walking and hoping he would see his family again. He was caring and helpful he built a well in Sudan to help others. Nya had a mother and father and a sister and a brother. Nya was a helpful and hardworking. She went to the pond twice everyday, the trip took 8 hours, to get water for her family. Her life was kind of bad. Before the well she couldn't go to school or play with friends.
The protagonist of this story is Salva. He builds the well, he escapes the war. The antagonist are the rebels. They try to kill Salva and his family. In the beginning of the story Salva is at school when the rebels come to his village. His teacher tells the boys to run to the bush and not to go home. This begins Salva's fight for survival. Nya's story starts out with her fetching water and not having time for anything else. The rising action is when Salva is walking across Africa and facing many challenges along the way. Like when he is with a group of people he doesn't know but he need them to help him survive. The rising action for Nya is learning about how hard she has it and how she has to drink dirty war and her sister gets very sick from the water. They have to move around to stay by the water. The climax for Salva is when he is crossing the river and gun shots are fired forcing him across. The river is full of blood and crocodiles are everywhere. A lot of people die but Salva is able to make it across. The climax of Nya's story is when the men come to the village. The falling action is when Salva is going to Kenya and is in the refugee camp. He finally ends up in the United States. For Nya her story is that the men are not at her village to harm her but to bring water to the village. Since Nya doesn't have to spend her days collecting water she can now go to school. We find out that one of the men who built is SALVA!!!!!!!!!!
The lesson of the story is that people are dying and we need to do something about it. Another lesson of this story is never give up even when you are facing your darkest fears. It is important to do what you can to help other people.
I really like when they were crossing the Gilo River it was exciting and scary. I enjoyed the characters in the story. We wouldn't have known all the things they did and the changes in the world they made. I would recommend this book to people who love adventures and learning about how one person can affect other peoples
lives. One person can change the world. The End.
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Dec 12, 2012 Dugan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Long walk to water book report
by dugan

this book report is on a long walk to water a book written by linda sue park. She has also written six childrensns novels and five picture books including seesaw girl,storm warning,and a single shard. The genre of this book is historical/realistic fiction because some of the characters were real and some made up. The narrators were salva, and nya. In the book salva runs away from his village because of attacks and has to get from sudan to ethiopia on foot....more Long walk to water book report
by dugan

this book report is on a long walk to water a book written by linda sue park. She has also written six childrensns novels and five picture books including seesaw girl,storm warning,and a single shard. The genre of this book is historical/realistic fiction because some of the characters were real and some made up. The narrators were salva, and nya. In the book salva runs away from his village because of attacks and has to get from sudan to ethiopia on foot. in another place nya has to walk 8 hours to get water for her familly every day.
This story takes place in-ethiopia,sudan,and america-more specificly southern sudan,refuge camps,the akobo dessert and new york. The story takes place in 2008,and 1985. the setting effects the story because if it took place any other place it wouldn't be hard to find water which is what the book is mainly based upon.there were many locations including a crowded refuge camp,and a hot dessent.
one main character in this book is salva. Salva is a boy who runs away from his villiage because of war. Salva is determined. Salva is determined because in the book he makes it to america and builds wells for the people of sudan. Salva is unique because he is determined even when he was cast aside and ignored.
The next main character is nya. Nya is a girl who walks eight hours every day to get water for her familly.nya is hardworking. Nya is hardworking because she walks eight hours and only has a small meal between walks. Nya is unique because she likes to stay behind and she has a hard job. She has a hard job because of getting water every day. One of the supporting characters is uncle jewir. Uncle jewir is salva's uncle and he is a leader. Uncle jewir is positive and persuasive. Uncle jewir is positive because he got the group's hopes up and he is persuasive because he got the group through the desert and he got salva to the refuge camps. Uncle jewir is unique because he is courageous. He is courageous because he goes through the desert and he stays brave before he dies.
The protagonist in this story is either salva or nya. They are the protagonists because they are the heroes,and they are the main characters. The antagonists are the soilders. The soilders are the antagonists because they forced salva away from his village and killed many people. Some supporting characters help salva and nya like uncle helped salva through the dessert and akeer helped nya get water.
In the beginning of the story salva has to run away from war in his villiage and nya has to get water even when she is hurt and wants to quit. In the rising action salva joins the group walking,and nya gets home and eats a meal. In the climax salva arives in the refuge camps and goes to america,and nya helps her sick sister. In the falling action salva goes to visit his father in sudan,and nya moves for the dry season. In the resolution salva builds wells for villiages in sudan,and nya gets a well in her village(built by salva).
In this story one theme is never give up. Never give up is one of the themes because in the story salva walks from southern sudan to ethiopia and dosen't give up. Another example of never give up is when nya walks to water every day and never gives up. Another theme is always help others. In the story salva helps his father when he is sick. Salva also helps with building wells for people. Salva also helps with his familly's cows. Nya helps when akeer is sick and she helps get water every day for her familly.
I liked this book. My favorite part is when salva has to cross the dessert and uncle encourages him. The most compelling literary element is the characters. The characters were interesting because they had many jobs and many different personalities that worked together. I would recommend this book to kids ages 8-12 and to people who want to learn about saving water. (less)

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Dec 11, 2012 Maleek Mcdowell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book Report
By Maleek Mcdowell

The author of the book A Long Walk To Water is Linda Sue Park. This book is based on a true story. The illustrator is Kayley Lefaiver. The Genre is fiction, and its subgenre is historical fiction. The book is written in third person. This affected the story because if it was written in first person or second person there would be no characters; it would be my/your family had been coming to the lake and my/your mouth closed. In summary, the book is about two character...more Book Report
By Maleek Mcdowell

The author of the book A Long Walk To Water is Linda Sue Park. This book is based on a true story. The illustrator is Kayley Lefaiver. The Genre is fiction, and its subgenre is historical fiction. The book is written in third person. This affected the story because if it was written in first person or second person there would be no characters; it would be my/your family had been coming to the lake and my/your mouth closed. In summary, the book is about two characters, Nya and Salva, going through their journeys in two different times. Nya goes to a pond to fetch water for her family eight hours every day. Salva walks away from his war-torn village. He is a lost boy refugee, destined to cover Africa on foot, searching for his family and safety.
This book takes place in southern Sudan. The two stories take place in the past, 1985 and 2008. If the book did not take place in Africa, Nya would not be walking eight hours a day to get water. They both live in a village. Salva's village is Loun-Ariik.
This book has two main characters Nya and Salva. The supporting characters are Marial, Salva’s uncle, and Salva’s new family. On Nya’s side it is Akeer, Nya’s father, and her two brothers. Nya’s character trait is that she is responsible. Salva's character trait is that he can survive on his own. Nya’s main characteristic is that she can walk long distances two times a day. Salva’s main characteristic is that he has great leadership skills.
Salva is going to Ethiopia to a refugee camp. Then he and everyone there got booted out, so they go to Kenya to a refugee camp there. He was the oldest boy in the camp, so he was the leader of his big group of boys. Nya is trying to get a better life by getting a lot of water to last because they do not have much food nor water.
The story begins by Nya going to the pond to get water for her family. The rising action is when Nya does not want to walk to get water so her uncle digs a hole. It climaxes when water shoots out of the hole. The falling action is when Nya gets water by her house. The story's resolution is Nya does not have to walk so far from her house to get water. The beginning of the other main character's journey, Salva's story, starts with the war starting. Its rising action happens when Salva runs from his home village looking for his family. The climax of the story is when Salva gets to Ethiopia and goes to the refugee camp. The falling action is when Salva got kicked out of the refugee camp then goes to Kenya’s refugee camp. However, the resolution happens when Salva gets a new family and builds a well by Nya’s house.
I would say the theme of A Long Walk To Water is that you need to learn to take care of yourself. In the text is says Salva’s uncle said "just a little more, then you can take a break." This taught Salva to keep going.
My personal opinion, I think this book is a good book. One of my favorite parts was when Salva’s teacher said "run but don’t run home." I thought that was funny because home would be the safest place to go, but she is the teacher, right? She knows more than the kids. I would think that the setting was most important because it really made me think that Nya really needed to go and get water. In Africa, people need to go far to get water. So, it was a good choice to make the setting in Africa. I would recommend this book to people who like fiction.
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Dec 07, 2012 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grades, historical-fiction, realistic-fiction

I love reading books that are based on real events. This is the story of two people from two different time periods, whose lives cross paths. The story of these two people is told in alternating chapters.

Sudan has always been a hotbed of controversy and war. Innocent people are constantly caught in the crossfire. The majority of them are children. Salva Dut, eleven years old, is one of those children. They become known as the “Lost Boys”. It is the 1980’s and he is at school when his village com...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Rebecca by: King's English Books

Park was successful in providing her readers with a clean reflection of a Lost Boy. Hers is one of the few novels dealing with such extraordinary events that is not overwritten.

While this novel will not give the reader full insight into the complex history and issues that have fueled and continue to fuel much of the fighting in Sudan, it does give enough to spark the imagination. What I would hope is that a reader would leave the book wanting to know more. Park sets the foundation for just this...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Long Walk to Water

Linda Sue Park 2010

120 pages

The author of a Single Shard, I believe was moved to write this story because of the incredible story of Salva Duk, who was one of Southern Sudan's " lost boys" in Sudan's Second Civil War of 1983. Tears ran down my cheeks as I imagined the sadness of boys walking for months as their only means from escaping from the terror of being chased away from their homelands by bullets and living years in refugee camps in a limbo existence. Some of these boy...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Thomasseng9 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Long Walk to Water
By Linda Sue Park
Recommend: Anyone
The novel, A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park is a novel about a young boy named Salva. Salva faces hunger and numerous near death experiences as he travels across Africa in search of shelter, food, and his family who he had been separated from when his village was attacked by northerners wanting to banish all religions other than Islam. Throughout Salva`s journey across Africa, he receives little support from others walking with him. F...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Esther rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A long walk to water is about two different people who live in Sudan at different times, but both experiencing to the war going on. The first character is Salva a boy who has to run away from school one day when he hears the fighters coming near. You follow him through his long walk away from Sudan to Ethiopia where he finally reaches a refugee camp. On his long walk to Ethiopia he makes a friend, Marial who later dies of starvation. He also finds his uncle in the group who kept Salva alive by...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fdr-ya

I work at a school where, in each academic year, there's something called "One Book One Community", which means two books are chosen (for children and adults/older students). This year The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and this book by Linda Sue Park where chosen. I gotta admit I was a tad disappointed, cause I'm not a fan of "based on a true story" books. I got a really nice surprise when I began reading this tho.

I work at the Library so I have to read it so I saw this more as work related re...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In 1985, eleven-year-old Salva Dut finds himself in the middle of the war in the Sudan. Fighting breaks out when he is in school, and the teacher tells the class to run out to the bush. Salva gets caught up in a wave of people going to Ethiopia; some are of his tribe, the Dinka, and take him along, since there is no going back to his village.

The story of Salva's survival is interspersed with the story of Nya, who in 2008 walks 8 miles every day to get water for her family, which she carries back...more

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Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Part of this story is about a boy named Salva. He lives in Sudan, a country in Africa, during a Civil War that happened there in 1985. The other part of this story is about a girl namy Nya and takes place in Sudan right now.

When we say “The Civil War” here in America we are referring to our own Civil War that happened 150 years ago. The Civil War in Sudan was only 25 years ago. During the War in Sudan many people were killed, children were made orphans and families were separated. In order to ge...more Part of this story is about a boy named Salva. He lives in Sudan, a country in Africa, during a Civil War that happened there in 1985. The other part of this story is about a girl namy Nya and takes place in Sudan right now.

When we say “The Civil War” here in America we are referring to our own Civil War that happened 150 years ago. The Civil War in Sudan was only 25 years ago. During the War in Sudan many people were killed, children were made orphans and families were separated. In order to get to safety many people WALKED to Ethiopia or Kenya.

When you are reading Salva’s part of the story you hear about how he slept on the ground at night and could hear lions hunting around him:

Marial was gone - vanished into the night. He would never have wandered away from the group on his own. His disappearance could mean only one thing. Lion. (page 40)

Salva even has to cross a river infested with crocodiles. Some of the people do not make it across the river. On the other side of the river is a desert…which the people also have to walk across. Can you even imagine surving a journey like that? I can’t.

Nya’s part of the story is about how she walks twice a day, EVERY DAY to a pond to get water. Nya carries the water in a plastic jug and balances it on her head to walk home. That’s what she does every single day; once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The pond is so far away from her home that she has no time to do anything else. No school. No playing. Just walking - carrying water to keep her family alive.

A Long Walk to Water shows you how Salva’s story and Nya’s story are related even though they take place 25 years apart.

There are parts of the book that are hard to read and very, very sad. Some parts are scary. In the end, though, this is a book about really good things. It is about people looking after each other - even if they are stangers to begin with. It is about trying hard and doing your part and it is about hoping for something better.

The really great thing is that A Long Walk to Water is based on a real boy named Salva - you can see his picture with the author on the book jacket or in the video below. (He’s grown up now.) At the end of the book there is a letter to you from Salva that I think you’ll like to read. The best thing he says is, “Stay calm when things are hard or not going right with you. You will get thorugh it when you persevere instead of quitting.” (page 117) Those are pretty powerful words when you realize they come from a kid who survived a situation much, much more difficult than anything we will probably ever face. By: Linda Sue Park

For more: http://www.imcpl.org/kids/blog/?p=8441 (less)

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Jan 15, 2012 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, abuse, boy, historical, multicultural, nonfiction, politics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 14, 2011 Elaine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a KBA 2011 nominee for middle grades. Based on the true story of Salvo Dut, who at age 10 was forced from his home and family during the civil war in Sudan. For years, Salvo survived homelessness and extreme hardship, wandering throughout Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya, living in refugee camps. At age 22, he has the great fortune of being selected as one of only a few young men in his refugee camp to move to American and live with an adoptive family. Salvo graduates from college and embarks...more

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