Week 5: YA African American Novel

A Long Walk To Water

By Linda Sue Park 

     A Long Walk to Water, intertwines the true stories of two young people from Sudan, set decades apart. The first narrative follows Nya, an eleven-year-old girl in 2008 who makes the daily trips to fetch water for her family, highlighting the harsh realities of scarcity and survival in her village. Her daily trips, consist of two dangerous journeys per day. The second story, is set in 1985, following the journey of an eleven-year-old Sudanese "Lost Boy," named Salva Dut from the Dinka tribe is displaced by the civil war. Forced to flee his village, he embraces a grueling journey facing threats from rebels, wild animals, and harsh environments, all while suffering from starvation and thirst. He also faces extreme loss, this includes being forced into dangerous waters by rebels, witnessing first hand a crocodile attack and a young boy being shot while he was on Salva's back. Salva's resilience and determination first lead him to a refugee camp in Ethiopia, but the camp was later disbanded, forcing him to move again. Where he travels to Kenya, where he spends several years in the Kakuma and Ifo refugee camps. Later, he resettles in the United States in 1996, where he then gets adopted. Years later, as an adult, he returns back to Sedan, advocating to help build wells, bringing clean water to villages, which includes Nya's story. Her life is transformed when Salva's organization drills a well in her village, providing not only clean water, but also hope for a better future. Because of Salva's efforts, Nya no longer has to make the daily life threatening journeys to access water. Through these parallel stories, the author, highlights the themes of survival, perseverance, and life-changing power of access to clean water, showcases the profound impact of how important humanitarian efforts are on communities in need. 

  

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In the Classroom: 

    A Long Walk to Water is an excellent addition to the classroom library as it offer students an engaging way to understand global issues such as the impact of war, the struggles of refugees, and the importance of access to clean water. I would advise older students read this text, as it deals with tough and grueling loss. This book also provides a relatable entry point for discussing the broader humanitarian issues as well as developing empathy. Since this book is based on true events, it may be more interesting to students. An effective activity that can be done in the classroom can include having students research and present on water scarcity in different parts of the world, comparing their findings to the abundance of clean water in America. This can then lead to a rich discussion on how Americans often can take access to clean water for granted, fostering a deep appreciation for this essential resource we need to survive, and encouraging students to think about how they can contribute to global solutions, such as supporting clean water initiatives or conserving water in their daily lives.