Grade 7 · Class Reads · Book guide
A Long Walk to Water
by Linda Sue Park
The novel alternates between Salva's flight from war beginning in 1985 and Nya's daily search for water in 2008. Their stories eventually connect through a real project bringing wells to communities in South Sudan.
Book details
Format
Historical fiction based partly on a true story
Suggested age range
Ages 10–12
Why read it together?
A book worth talking about
The dual timeline makes structure central to meaning. Students can distinguish fictionalized narrative from documented history, evaluate contextual sources, and analyze how water, walking, and perseverance develop across both perspectives.
- Displacement and survival
- Water access
- Perseverance
- Community action
Before reading
Get ready to wonder
- How should readers distinguish a novel based on a true story from a primary historical source?
- What background sources can establish respectful context for Sudan and South Sudan?
During and after reading
Talk about the text
- How does alternating between Nya and Salva change the pace and meaning of each story?
- Which repeated images become symbolic across the novel?
- How does the ending connect individual perseverance with systems and collective action?
Writing invitation
Respond to the book
Explain how the alternating structure develops one shared theme. Use sequenced evidence from both narratives.