A LONG WALK TO WATER is based on the true, gut-wrenching life of Salva, a boy from Sudan, who is thrown into war. One day, as Salva is leaving school, gunmen attack, and he is forced to run off into the bush. We follow Salva as he struggles to reach a refugee camp.
Linda Sue Park does an excellent job of telling Salva's story in a straight forward style that conveys the harshness of the situation through a child's eyes. Ms. Park adds a side story about a girl, Nya, from a different tribe in Sudan. She weaves the lives of Salva and Nya together nicely.
Sometimes we get so caught up in our own cushy lives, that we forget the hardships that are faced by many people around the world. Not only will this story will remind you of these hardships, it will motivate you to do something about them.