A Long Walk to Water Linda Sue Park

A Long Walk to Water (sometimes shortened to ALWTW) is a short novel written by Linda Sue Park and published in 2010. It blends the true story of Salva Dut (set in 1985) and the fictional story of Nya (set in 2008). Dut is a part of the Dinka tribe and a Sudanese Lost Boy, while Nya is a young village girl that is part of the Nuer tribe. Park used this book as a platform to support Dut's organization, Water for South Sudan.

Salva

Salva, from the Dinka tribe, and his group go to the Itang Refugee Camp, avoiding rebels, lions, and other threats along the way. He is then run out towards the Gilo River and eventually into Kenya. There, he becomes the leader of 1,500 Lost Boys and takes them to another camp. Afterwards, he is taken to America and lives with a new family. Eventually, he becomes the founder of a non profit called Water For South Sudan (WFSS). Schools can fundraise money for Salva's organization to dig wells in South Sudan.

Nya

Nya is an 11-year-old girl who has to walk eight hours a day, seven months out of the year, to fetch water from a pond in order to support her parents, younger brother, and younger sister, Akeer. She and her family live in Sudan in the year 2008. Akeer gets sick and is told that the illness is due to water contamination. Later, in 2009, a well is built in her village so that she and other residents would not have to walk as far and drink unsafe water. Nya is overjoyed that a school is built alongside the well. At the end of the book, she introduces herself to Salva Dut, because she was confused by the fact that Salva, a Dinka, would help her Nuer village. The Dinka and Nuer tribes have been at conflict for many years.[1] Nya's story is fictional, and was based on travelers Park interviewed who saw water wells being drilled in villages similar to Nya's. She also examined their photographs and videos.

Water for South Sudan is a non-profit organization created by Salva Dut which drills wells for villages in South Sudan.[2] It plays an important role in the story.

A Long Walk to Water has received generally positive reviews from critics.

On Common Sense Media, Kate Pavao rated the book five stars. Pavao praised the book for showing Salva's courage and perseverance through his struggles.[3] Reviewing the book for The Newcastle Herald, Stacey Dombkins praised Park's execution of the dual narrative, stating that the book's "unsurprising but very satisfying ending" successfully showed how Salva's hope and determination brought positive changes to those residing in South Sudan.[4]

1. ^ "Conflict between Dinka and Nuer in South Sudan | Climate-Diplomacy". climate-diplomacy.org. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
2. ^ "Salva's Story". Water For South Sudan. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
3. ^ Pavao, Kate. "A Long Walk to Water Common Sense Media Review". Common Sense Media.
4. ^ Dombkins, Stacey (March 26, 2011). "A Long Walk to Water: Books". Newcastle Herald. Australian Community Media. Retrieved July 2, 2022.