A Long Walk to Water is Linda Sue Park’s Newbery Award-winning novel based on the true story of Salva Dut. The narrative interweaves fictionalized accounts of Salva’s experiences as one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” during the Second Sudanese Civil War with the fictional story of Nya, a young girl in Southern Sudan decades later. The novel depicts the struggles of Sudanese people to access clean water and the impact of war and displacement on their lives.
This powerful narrative serves as an educational tool, providing insight into the historical context of the Sudanese conflicts and the ongoing global water crisis. It highlights the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity and underscores the importance of access to clean water as a fundamental human right. The novel’s dual narrative structure provides a nuanced perspective on the lasting impact of conflict and the interconnectedness of human experiences across time and geography.
