A LONG WALK TO WATER has been on my list of books to read ever since Linda Sue Park talked about it at the Vermont College of Fine Arts Alumni Residency in July 2012. It jumped to the top of my ever-growing stack of books to read when I learned my daughter would be discussing it in her 7th grade English class.
I’m a sucker for stories that are based on true events so A LONG WALK TO WATER did not disappoint. As a reader, the story was both meaningful and inspirational, as well as one that shows that young people can make a difference. And what a difference Salva Dut has made in his home country through Water for Sudan, the non-profit he created to improve the water conditions in his birth country.
As a writer I was most impressed with how well Park wove two stories together that culminated in the kind of ending VCFA students and faculty strive for: one that is earned, yet also surprising at the same time. Linda Sue Park called this the “Unexpected Inevitability” at the 2012 Alumni Mini Residency.
To learn more about A LONG WALK TO WATER and how Linda Sue Park came up with the story idea, click here to get the scoop directly from the author in her own words.
A LONG WALK TO WATER is a good read that will likely leave you with thoughts of wanting to make a difference too. Good luck Salva Dut for all the good you’re bringing to the world and to Linda Sue Park for sharing his story with us.
