An awe-inspiring novel about what the power of hard work and dedication to a cause can help.

Hi i'm awesome! This book was sad yet a little scary.

Based on a true story, this book relays the moving experiences of Salva Dut; one of thousands of boys orphaned by the fighting in the country of Sudan in Africa during the 1980s and 90s. Known as the ‘Lost Boys,’ these young men walked through some of the worst conditions on Earth in order to find safe haven in the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Kenya. On the day the fighting comes to the village where he goes to school, Salva is told by his teacher to run and not look back. Not knowing if he’ll ever see his family again, Salva does as he’s told and runs, eventually joining a group of other displaced Sudanese fleeing the war. With no food, almost no water, and only the flimsy clothes on his back Salva begins the grueling task of crossing the Nile in a man-made boat, then walking for three days across the desert until finally finding sanctuary in a filthy, overcrowded refugee camp where he will stay for years. But this book is more than the story of Salva’s survival. It is also the story of Nya, a young African girl living in modern-day Sudan, who must walk for miles and miles each and every day to gather water for her family. For eight hours everyday she walks to and from the nearest pond just so her family can have water to drink and cook with, even if the water is brown with mud and even if it is known to cause illness. As horrible as the lives of Nya and Salva may sound to us, though, the story of how their fates eventually collide is so full of inspiration and redemption that you will not finish it feeling sad but full of hope. A highly recommended read!

Based on a true story the book follows the lives of two children in the Sudan. The first one takes place in 1985 and follows Salva’s long walk from his village in the Sudan to Ethiopia and Kenya and finally a plane trip United States. The second narrative takes place in 2008 and is about Nya and her long walk to water twice a day so her family can survive.

A children's book that can be enjoyed by teens or adults as well. The book describes the life experience for one young boy growing up during the Sudanese civil war. Based on the life of activist Salva Dut, it is a very inspiring story. The author does a good job of taking a troubling story and making it appropriate for children without diminishing the tragedy of the situation.

Great read for Grades 4-6 about a young boy from the Sudan. Based on a true story. If you like Deborah Ellis's book: The Breadwinner you will likely enjoy this book.

A fascinating look at the difficult life of a Sudanese boy in 1985 juxtaposed with the story of a Sudanese girl twenty years later.