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A Long Walk to Water
A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story | Linda Sue Park
The New York Times bestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nyas in an astonishing and moving way.
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olivia.d

“Water is life.”

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olivia.d

I would use this if it aligned with our curriculum and the topic for that week

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olivia.d
Mehso-so

I liked how this was a true story. It was heartbreaking hearing both kids stories

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JenniferEgnor
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Pickpick

This is a quick read with a story that is meant for all ages. Two characters, two different time frames. They both share common dreams and needs. Years later, they meet for the first time. Throughout their lives, each was moving towards the other with one shared thread: water. It is the most precious thing we have, and yet we take it for granted constantly. Salva Dut‘s story teaches empathy, gratitude, perseverance. Highly recommended.

JenniferEgnor Link to learn more and get involved here: https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org/ 4w
TheBookHippie This book is in our curriculum . ♥️ The kids raise money with coins every year in the public school Montessori. 4w
JenniferEgnor @TheBookHippie so glad to hear this! 3w
15 likes3 comments
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PuSsNbOoKs
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Pickpick

I read this book as part of my tutoring role. I cannot express enough how much I wish this could be required reading in all schools, no less many adults here in America. It is a beautifully written but heart wrenching story of one boy‘s journey while living in Sudan in the 1980‘s. The theme here is hope; one day at a time, never quit. It‘s also a gentle reminder of the impact we have on the world and each other.

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Stingsista
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Pickpick

I have a weakness for young adult, coming of age books and this one hit the right mark. A quick read by the same author as A Single Chard. Recommended.

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Sharpeipup
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Right now I get my reading recommendations (like tagged book) here on Litsy but this does sound like fun…

If anyone‘s tried it, let me know!!!!!!!

📌Kings English Bookshop - Salt Lake City, UT

Meshell1313 Ooh fun! 1y
JamieArc This makes me want to get my own machine to tell me what to read next 😂😂 1y
dabbe What a nifty idea! 🤩🤩🤩 1y
36 likes1 stack add4 comments
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lauraisntwilder
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Read this with my son, who had to read it for school. It touches on important topics, but it didn't feel like a good fit for 7th grade. I think my son would've gotten more out of it a few years ago. Reading it now, he was annoyed by the writing (lots of short, declarative sentences).

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JeremiahJS

Salva was a young boy in the village tribe of Dinka, the fighting from rebels and government separated Salva from his family and killed many of civilians and people.

Salve, now having to avoid the fighting has to survive and find his way back to his family, in hopes to be reunited through the conditions of war.

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JeremiahJS
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Salva walks in a war-torn village lost from his home and his family. Being a “Lost boy“ refugee, Destined to walk Africa on foot to fine his family.

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channingfortney
Pickpick

This is a Phoenix Award winner. This book follows the story of two different people. One girl Nya and a boy Salva. It follows their families story during war of their villages and the many miles they had to walk to survive on their land. The story follows them for a long time about how each of them survived until they finally cross paths and meet one another.

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Eggs
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Can you imagine hiking 2 miles x2/day to reach your only water source (pond)??

#Hike #NovemberNarrative @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

suvata Oh my! We are so spoiled. 2y
Eggs @suvata True! 2y
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MaggieCarr
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Pickpick

Me today:
- complaining because I had to microwave my coffee
- commenting that gas prices dropped a few cents
- brushing my teeth with the faucet on
- video chatting with my husband who is across the country
Sobering thoughts:
- to not drink and die or to drink, get sick from the water and die
- 19 years away from family
- am I leaving a positive impact on my world, a legacy my family would be proud of
Deep, deep middle grade read for ALL AGES!

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BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

The hardest story told in the most simple way. Salva has been a refugee for years. He fled from war torn #SouthSudan across the Nile and the desert to Ethiopia and Kenya. He learns to take life a day at a time.
In between there is Nya‘s story, who 20 years later in South Sudan walks 8 hours a day to fetch water.
A touching story!

#ReadingAfrica2022 🇸🇸 #19822022 #2010 #52BooksIn52weeks #MiddleGrade

(Pic: Nizwa, Oman)

squirrelbrain Loved Nizwa! We went on market day though; it was a bit smelly from all the goats, sheep and other animals for sale! 3y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Market day is tomorrow! Our hotel is right in the middle of the souq so we‘ll go there at dawn tomorrow to have a look. Must be kind of special but smelly indeed, haha, all the goats! (edited) 3y
Librarybelle Wow…your photo is incredible! 3y
Megabooks Loving these vacation pics! 3y
90 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Daisey
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Pickpick

This short #MiddleGrade book is told from two perspectives. It doesn‘t describe in detail the violence in Sudan in 1985, but it‘s clearly there in Salva‘s story. Nya‘s story takes place in 2008 as she spends most of her time carrying water for her family. In the end, their two stories come together.

#ReadingAfrica2022 #Sudan #audiobook

BarbaraBB I‘ve chosen this one for #SouthSudan. I didn‘t know it‘s middle grade! 3y
Daisey @BarbaraBB I‘ve seen it classified as both YA and MG, it based on length and how it portrays the violence that it‘s accessible as middle grade. 3y
46 likes2 comments
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Jobridge
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Pickpick

I was nervous about getting into audiobooks but I have an hour commute and figured I could reach my reading goals faster if I start. I started with this one because it was short and was recommended by a friend. I‘m picky about readers on audiobooks and this one has two great readers for the two points of view. It‘s a harrowing, beautiful, true story. It heralds the virtue of perseverance and makes you appreciate what you have for sure!

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Amandakay
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pop sugar challenge: a book set in the 80s

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rebbyj
Pickpick

Intense YA. My niece is reading it in school. ❤️

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Sci.Cricketts
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Pickpick

What an emotional read. Loved it! Everyone should read this book!

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Chittavrtti
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sarahlandis
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Pickpick

I adore this book. A true story of alternating chapters- one following an 11 year old boy from the mid 1980‘s in Sudan‘s civil war to the present, and an 11 year old girl in the mid 2000‘s Sudan. They each take long walks, but for very different reasons. It‘s tragic and heart wrenching but also inspirational and heart warming. YA novel but I recommend for anyone. Here is the link for the non profit discussed ! https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org

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sailu112
Pickpick

What a heart wrenching story. This ia a beautifully written story about hope, war and faith. This had 2 parallel stories which ended up meeting at the end

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underground_bks
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Pickpick

Our bookstore successfully raised 50 copies of A Long Walk to Water for a local teacher to give away to students for summer reading this year, so I had to check this out! A brief but powerful, harrowing but hopeful read, A Long Walk to Water shares the true story of Salva Dut, a Dinka child and Sudanese Lost Boy in 1985, who grew up to found Water for South Sudan, and the fictional story of Nya, a Nuer girl who benefits from Salva‘s well in 2008.

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alindemann
Pickpick

Loved how the author put the two stories together and concluded in such a heart-warming way. A great quick little read!

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2105174@school.ecsd.net
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Pickpick

I think that it was great, you guys should definatly read. kind of sad but the best part was near the end when Salva meets Nya and end up finding his dad and the rest of his family.

CaffeineAndCandy Hey! Welcome to Litsy! 📚👍 4y
2 likes2 comments
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Cortg
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Pickpick

This was such a great middle grades book about one of the lost boys from the Sudan Civil War. I highly recommend this powerful read, especially since it can be read in one sitting. #TBRCrew #DecadesOfThePast 1980‘s

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amberavidreader
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Pickpick

This book was such a great read. Read in one sitting. Could not put it down. Get your tissues for this one. You will love it though.
A little about it: The New York Times bestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985....

#greatreads #recommendedreading #readers #booklovers

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alisiakae
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Pickpick

I meant to read this for #booked2020 #genocide prompt a few months ago (I ended up reading something else instead). Turns out it is the 1st quarter novel study for Maya‘s English class!

Salva reminds me so very much of one of my Lost Boy refugee clients from the early 2000s. I worked with quite a few Sudanese refugees when I was with LIRS and IRC, and I feel the author did a great job portraying their experience for a middle grade audience.

alisiakae Also, my #bookspin selection! #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks (edited) 4y
alisiakae I have one main criticism, which is why I won't give it 5 ⭐. Based on a true story, with a message from Salva Dut at the back of the book, I feel like he should have been listed as as an author. I feel his oral stories should grant him some ownership over this slightly fictionalized account. 4y
Cinfhen Great photo and wonderful review. This is on my audio TBR 4y
TheAromaofBooks It does sound like it should be more of a “by Salva Dut, as told to...“ Great review!! 4y
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Victoriahoperose
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Mehso-so

This was a great story but a not so great audiobook. I think I‘ll have to try this again as a physical book. Very powerful, but the audiobook almost didn‘t do it justice.

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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Pickpick

This short, middle grade true story is an affecting story about genocide, fighting, refugee life, and the importance of water in Sudan. It‘s just the kind of book that reminds kids and adults that life is wholly different in other parts of the world, and that's something we all need every once in a while.

#thebibliophage2020 #irlbookgroup #weneeddiversereads

alisiakae I am probably going to listen to the same book for the #genocide prompt. 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft It‘s very short but that makes it a good choice for a tough subject. (At least to me, in these difficult times.) (edited) 4y
alisiakae @BarbaraTheBibliophage I also actually just realized my current read, a graphic novel memoir about an artist working with Syrian refugees, also fits the prompt. My brain hasn‘t been firing on all cylinders lately. 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️ (edited) 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft Even better! I totally understand the brain stuff. Can‘t say mine is much better ... 4y
76 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Reading this with my IRL book group this month. After finishing a 30+ hour audiobook, this short one is a welcome change. Although, it‘s obviously not an easy story.

Cortg My MIL gave it to me for Christmas! I haven‘t read it yet. 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cortg Nice! I will try to remember to tag you when I review. 4y
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AmyK1
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Pickpick

This is based on the true story of Salva, who at the age of 11 found himself w/out family and walking with a group of strangers from South Sudan to Ethiopia because of the war in Sudan. Eventually he makes his was to the US where he gets an education and decides to help his people by bringing clean water to the villages where people would often have to walk hours for any water at all.
#MiddleGradeMarch @megnews @sblbooks
Letter P for #litsyAtoZ

sblbooks Sounds good. 5y
Cortg My MIL got me this book for Christmas! 5y
28 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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ds111717

“Everything about him was paying attention to the teacher-everything except his eyes and his mind.“

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ds111717

I would use this book in my classroom to show my students the diverse cultures and hopefully give them a better understanding of the diversity among cultures so that they know of them.

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ds111717
Pickpick

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story written by Linda Sue Park. Chapter 1 p.1-7. Introduced Salva, who lives in southern Sudan, and talks about how he goes to school rather than working at home. When he is at school one day, a war starts because the people in the south practice a different religion and didn't want to be forced to practice Islam. This could be related to diverse children in today's world because of discrimination.

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k.gauze

“A step at a time. One problem at a time-just figure out this one problem”

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k.gauze

Love this book!! Would definitely have this in a classroom or suggest it for children to read it!

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k.gauze
Pickpick

Reading this book brought me to tears! The realistic fiction story based on a true story. This book is an amazing story about the Lost Boys. I would love to show this to a class because it is so important for children to see what other cultures and children have to go through. This story is inspirational and so moving.

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Heatherfeather
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Pickpick

Again my 11-year-old's book recommendation was terrific. ☺️🥰

Tamra I agree with your 11 year old! 5y
Heatherfeather @Tamra she's kinda cool 🥰😁 5y
13 likes2 comments
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Nute
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It was discovered on some little obscure table in the back corner of the bookstore, but I think that I need to treat it like a found lost treasure.
This is what I shall read next!

DivineDiana It certainly sounds that way. 💎 5y
74 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Nute
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It was discovered on some little obscure table in the back corner of the bookstore, but I think that I need to treat it like a found lost treasure.
This is what I shall read next!

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TheNextBook
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I wish I could say that I‘m done traveling for the year but I‘m not. Trying to get as much reading done as possible! Diving into this one now! This is a ProjectLit selelction so I know it‘s good!

50 likes2 stack adds
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Eggs
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#Africa #letstraveljuly @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

You came to lift me up
Life is a drink and love's a drug
Oh, now I think I must be miles up
When I was a river dried up
You came to rain a flood🎶
#hymnfortheweekend #julycoldplay

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️📚❤️ 5y
OriginalCyn620 👌🏻📚❤️ 5y
55 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

This book really puts things in perspective. I‘m going to have both of my kids read this.

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anniebananie22

“If he were older and stronger, would he have given water to those men? Or would he, like most of the group,. Have kept his water for himself?”

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anniebananie22
Pickpick

This story does an incredible job of expressing hardships and they way life could be. Some children may not understand the possibilities of other children in different countries and this book is a great way to expose them to another type of lifestyle. I think it does a great job of sharing new perspectives and showing an interesting view of two young children from Sudan.

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anniebananie22
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I really love the artwork and use of silhouettes on the cover page. The colors are warm and vibrant which catches my eye. The cover leaves some mystery which I personally enjoy and makes me want to read the entire book.

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Madimccrady22

“He rushed to the door and looked out. Nobody. Nothing. They had left him. He was alone.”

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Madimccrady22

This is a true story about hardships and how different other people live. Some have to find safety no matter how long and hard it will take them.

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Madimccrady22
Pickpick

Long walk to water by Linda Sue Park is a realistic fiction book that was published in 2010. Nya has gone to the pond to fetch water for her family. She is a hard worker and walks and is on her feet for eight hours a day. Salva is walking away from his ruined village to find safety from his war-torn town. His journey across Africa to Ethiopia and then Kenya will take many years to complete.