A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park

A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park portrays the life accounts of two young adolescents both from Southern Sudan, Nya from the tribe of Nuir, and Salva from the tribe of Dinka. The author, Linda Park allows the reader to embark in a reflective and eye-opening journey through the eyes of Nya and Salva as they provide detail accounts of how they developed the will to persevere through the harsh environment, war-torn country, and realities of their way of life. 

Nya and Salva clearly demonstrate the love for their families, dreams, and determination to survive as children who are given responsibilities that are unimaginable for the realities of our youth of today. Both characters exemplify the human spirit of courage, and the power of core family values that allow them to push forward “one-step, one-day, one-time, and one-problem,” at a time. After losing his family, Salva finds the strength and encouraging, steadfast voice and remembrance of his uncle’s words of motivation to stay alive through the treacherous desert and long walk to the “safe-haven” of several refugee camps, and recalls the “gentleness of his sisters; the strength of his father; the care of his mother” (81) in order to reach his destination. 

Nya’s life account gives the reader a clear understanding of how she has the sole responsibility of fetching water that takes half the morning to travel for her family’s survival. Although the water she gathers from the pond is brown and muddy, she acceptingly takes on her task daily. Both Nya and Salva’s journey of their harsh environment and life gives the reader the opportunity to experience the great lengths of what their lives are like in comparison to our life.

This book is an eye-opener for me; it allowed me to walk in their life even if it was only through the pages. Without a doubt, I thoroughly felt Salva’s loss of his uncle, the separation of his family, the exhaustion of traveling in the desert, the desperation of finding family, the uncertainty and trauma of being “lost boys,” the awe of developing into a young leader, gaining new family and experiences of education, the hope and perseverance of taking one day at a time, and Nya’s hope of wanting to learn to read, write, and attend school.

Linda Sue Park is a phenomenal writer especially when she crafts the unexpected surprise in the end of the book. I did not expect the path of intersecting lives. Amazingly written—this book surely deserves an outstanding rating of a “5”.