You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very informative & I was surprised to see my home city at the end.
For my J-Term class, Sociology of Childhood, we had a volunteer component at a youth center. I'm a little disappointed that it had to be all over zoom, but we made it work. I was asked to lead a book group discussion with fourth and fifth graders on the book.
I am very passionate about children's lit, but have not yet had a chance to explore it in a classroom or childcare setting, primarily because COVID cancelled practicums for the past two semesters I was at Drake. So I was grateful for the opportunity to lead a group of my classmates in teaching this story.
[b:A Long Walk to Water|7981456|A Long Walk to Water Based on a True Story|Linda Sue Park|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441975555l/7981456._SY75_.jpg|12409139] by [a:Linda Sue Park|61707|Linda Sue Park|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] is the true story of Salva Dut, a refugee from Southern Sudan (now the country of South Sudan). The story follows Salva's journey in the second Sudanese civil war in the 1980s, and the refugee camps in the years following. At the beginning of each chapter, there is also a few paragraphs featuring Nya, a fictional Sudanese girl in 2008 living with the water crisis.
I am really glad we not only had this as assigned reading for the course, but that I was able to lead a group of my classmates in teaching it to students. Although I've written quite a few theoretical lesson plans, because of stay at home orders I have not been able to put any of them into practice. This was the first time I had to think, almost on the fly, of student-centered activities to help them make the story a little less boring.
My groupmates and I approached this in a few different ways. This book has a lot of themes it discusses throughout, including water conservation, refugee issues, geography in general, walking, and family. We chose each day as a theme day and had daily planning meetings for what we wanted to include. Unfortunately, I was the only one who had any motivation to read the book ahead of time and know what was coming up, but fortunately, I did have that motivation. That said, I was able to choose and define a lot of the theme topics that we covered, since I knew the most about the book, and was also the only student in my group who is an education major.
Hearing the kids talking about the book was interesting as well. Many times I thought they didn't like it or didn't get it, but I had really hoped that the activities we planned helped their understanding and appreciation of the story. As it turns out, they did. My group was worried when we were preparing to present for the other groups, because the kids had taken the story very lightly, and we were the least performance-based of the groups to begin with. When they did present, they were able to summarize and recall details that I wouldn't have even thought to include, and they shared parts that were meaningful to them.
My favorite part of the whole experience was on Thursday when we were finishing the book, and one of the kids got really excited with something to say. He then explained an observation about the two characters, Nya and Salva, and what it meant in a historical context. I was very proud when this happened, because it showed me he, and many of the other students, really did get it.
I'm glad this was the first book I've been able to teach. It is a very meaningful and impactful story. I wish we had been able to create a map for a coming to America story and compare Salva's journey with their families' journeys, but this would have needed more structure than what we had for one hour a day on zoom. However, if I ever do end up teaching this book, this is definitely a project I would plan out, especially as a tie-in for a history lesson about immigration.
I am very passionate about children's lit, but have not yet had a chance to explore it in a classroom or childcare setting, primarily because COVID cancelled practicums for the past two semesters I was at Drake. So I was grateful for the opportunity to lead a group of my classmates in teaching this story.
[b:A Long Walk to Water|7981456|A Long Walk to Water Based on a True Story|Linda Sue Park|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441975555l/7981456._SY75_.jpg|12409139] by [a:Linda Sue Park|61707|Linda Sue Park|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] is the true story of Salva Dut, a refugee from Southern Sudan (now the country of South Sudan). The story follows Salva's journey in the second Sudanese civil war in the 1980s, and the refugee camps in the years following. At the beginning of each chapter, there is also a few paragraphs featuring Nya, a fictional Sudanese girl in 2008 living with the water crisis.
I am really glad we not only had this as assigned reading for the course, but that I was able to lead a group of my classmates in teaching it to students. Although I've written quite a few theoretical lesson plans, because of stay at home orders I have not been able to put any of them into practice. This was the first time I had to think, almost on the fly, of student-centered activities to help them make the story a little less boring.
My groupmates and I approached this in a few different ways. This book has a lot of themes it discusses throughout, including water conservation, refugee issues, geography in general, walking, and family. We chose each day as a theme day and had daily planning meetings for what we wanted to include. Unfortunately, I was the only one who had any motivation to read the book ahead of time and know what was coming up, but fortunately, I did have that motivation. That said, I was able to choose and define a lot of the theme topics that we covered, since I knew the most about the book, and was also the only student in my group who is an education major.
Hearing the kids talking about the book was interesting as well. Many times I thought they didn't like it or didn't get it, but I had really hoped that the activities we planned helped their understanding and appreciation of the story. As it turns out, they did. My group was worried when we were preparing to present for the other groups, because the kids had taken the story very lightly, and we were the least performance-based of the groups to begin with. When they did present, they were able to summarize and recall details that I wouldn't have even thought to include, and they shared parts that were meaningful to them.
My favorite part of the whole experience was on Thursday when we were finishing the book, and one of the kids got really excited with something to say. He then explained an observation about the two characters, Nya and Salva, and what it meant in a historical context. I was very proud when this happened, because it showed me he, and many of the other students, really did get it.
I'm glad this was the first book I've been able to teach. It is a very meaningful and impactful story. I wish we had been able to create a map for a coming to America story and compare Salva's journey with their families' journeys, but this would have needed more structure than what we had for one hour a day on zoom. However, if I ever do end up teaching this book, this is definitely a project I would plan out, especially as a tie-in for a history lesson about immigration.
Heads up, this is not your typical review.
I LOVED this book. Maybe it's because I graduated from college with a "Lost Boy" from Sudan, but this book brought tears to my eyes. As I read, memories of Abraham's story were brought back up in my mind. I cannot believe what all of the boys (and people) did to survive throughout this terrible time and all that they are still going through today. This great book combined with the thoughts of my former classmate have inspired me to look into doing something with my school to help out this country that has been struggling for so long.
Go to http://www.waterforsouthsudan.org if you are interested in doing the same.
I LOVED this book. Maybe it's because I graduated from college with a "Lost Boy" from Sudan, but this book brought tears to my eyes. As I read, memories of Abraham's story were brought back up in my mind. I cannot believe what all of the boys (and people) did to survive throughout this terrible time and all that they are still going through today. This great book combined with the thoughts of my former classmate have inspired me to look into doing something with my school to help out this country that has been struggling for so long.
Go to http://www.waterforsouthsudan.org if you are interested in doing the same.
This is such a powerful story about the lost boys of Sudan. It alternates between southern Sudan in the 1985 and 2009. Extremely moving.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great middle school level informative book about Sundanese conflicts. I’m trying to give an unbiased review but the information is fairly surface level, as is appropriate for said age level.
South Sudan has a long, hard history. Life is not easy in South Sudan and hasn't been maybe ever.
In 1985 Salva ran from his school into the bush when rebels started attacking his village. All young boys were encouraged to run and hide lest they be snatched up and forced to become soldiers for the rebels. There are two groups of Lost Boys - those who ran, successfully hid, and escaped to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya and those who were captured by rebels and forced to become child soldiers and do unspeakable things. Salva fell into the former, thankfully.
In 2008, Nya's life consisted of walking to water, gathering water, and delivering water back to her family home. That's all she did every single day. She did not go to school. She did not have playtime. She only got water, necessary for living, day in and day out. But the water she retrieved was muddy, filthy, and made some people like her toddler sister very ill. During the wet season, she walked to and from the pond - a two hours walk each way - twice a day every day. During the dry season, she dug in a clay pit for water underneath and that took all day.
After escaping to a refugee camp in Ethiopia, a harrowing, terrifying, and sad journey, Salva spent the next decade plus living as a refugee in Ethiopia and then Kenya. He hoped to go to America one day. And in his early 20s, Salva's name appeared on the list. He was finally going to America. His American family helped him learn English and get an education and Salva hoped that maybe someone in his family was still alive. One day he received an email from a cousin and it resulted in Salva traveling back to South Sudan for the first time in 6 years. As a result of that visit back to his home country, Salva had an idea to bring water to the people.
In 2009 some strange men, who spoke a strange language, came to Nya's village. They claimed there was water under the ground. How ridiculous, thought Nya. I know every inch of this land and there is no water under the ground, it's not possible. But the men knew something Nya didn't and soon they returned with strange machines and loud noises. One day water came from under the ground! The men were right! And because Nya and her people could get water right there in the village and not have to travel miles each day, a school was built and Nya was going to get an education. It was a dream come true, Nya could be more than just a water carrier.
A simple and quick read, Park was still able to convey some of the more distressing experiences Salva had in escaping Sudan for Ethiopia. She was able to provide a realistic picture of what life is like for girls who live in villages where there is no well and water is hours away by foot. They get no education, no childhood, there is no purpose to their life except to keep retrieving water. It's another reminder of how life-giving and essential water is, not just for physical life but for LIFE.
In 1985 Salva ran from his school into the bush when rebels started attacking his village. All young boys were encouraged to run and hide lest they be snatched up and forced to become soldiers for the rebels. There are two groups of Lost Boys - those who ran, successfully hid, and escaped to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya and those who were captured by rebels and forced to become child soldiers and do unspeakable things. Salva fell into the former, thankfully.
In 2008, Nya's life consisted of walking to water, gathering water, and delivering water back to her family home. That's all she did every single day. She did not go to school. She did not have playtime. She only got water, necessary for living, day in and day out. But the water she retrieved was muddy, filthy, and made some people like her toddler sister very ill. During the wet season, she walked to and from the pond - a two hours walk each way - twice a day every day. During the dry season, she dug in a clay pit for water underneath and that took all day.
After escaping to a refugee camp in Ethiopia, a harrowing, terrifying, and sad journey, Salva spent the next decade plus living as a refugee in Ethiopia and then Kenya. He hoped to go to America one day. And in his early 20s, Salva's name appeared on the list. He was finally going to America. His American family helped him learn English and get an education and Salva hoped that maybe someone in his family was still alive. One day he received an email from a cousin and it resulted in Salva traveling back to South Sudan for the first time in 6 years. As a result of that visit back to his home country, Salva had an idea to bring water to the people.
In 2009 some strange men, who spoke a strange language, came to Nya's village. They claimed there was water under the ground. How ridiculous, thought Nya. I know every inch of this land and there is no water under the ground, it's not possible. But the men knew something Nya didn't and soon they returned with strange machines and loud noises. One day water came from under the ground! The men were right! And because Nya and her people could get water right there in the village and not have to travel miles each day, a school was built and Nya was going to get an education. It was a dream come true, Nya could be more than just a water carrier.
A simple and quick read, Park was still able to convey some of the more distressing experiences Salva had in escaping Sudan for Ethiopia. She was able to provide a realistic picture of what life is like for girls who live in villages where there is no well and water is hours away by foot. They get no education, no childhood, there is no purpose to their life except to keep retrieving water. It's another reminder of how life-giving and essential water is, not just for physical life but for LIFE.
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Genocide, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Murder