Think of the country of Sudan and terrible images of famine and war over the past decades are present. How does a parent or teacher explain such difficult things to a child?
Newbery winning author Linda Sue Park uses the childhood of Salva Dut, one of the “lost boys of Sudan” to weave a tale based on his actual experiences. By alternating chapters between the early years of conflict in Sudan and present day struggles that involve something as basic as clean water, the author demonstrates the difficulties that have affected thousands of Sudanese throughout the last several years.
In our nation of plentiful resources, “A Long Walk to Water” provides a well written, dramatic example of problems in third world countries on a level that is easy for a young person to understand. With only 120 pages it is packed with emotion.
Becky Lehman
Children’s Department
