About This Book
In this picture book companion to the beloved bestseller A Long Walk to Water, a young South Sudanese girl goes on a journey that requires determination, persistence, and compassion.
Young Nya takes little sister Akeer along on the two-hour walk to fetch water for the family. But Akeer becomes too ill to walk, and Nya faces the impossible: her sister and the full water vessel together are too heavy to carry.
As she struggles, she discovers that if she manages to take one step, then another, she can reach home and Mama's care.
Bold, impressionistic paintings by Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brian Pinkney evoke the dry, barren landscape and the tenderness between the two sisters.
An afterword discusses the process of providing clean water in South Sudan to reduce waterborne illness.
How does a young girl find the strength to do the impossible for her family?
A Story of Determination: When her little sister Akeer falls ill on the long walk home, Nya discovers she can do anything, one small step at a time.Deep Compassion: Nya must choose between leaving her sister, staying with her, or attempting to carry both Akeer and the heavy water vessel.Creative Problem-Solving: Faced with an impossible task, Nya learns how to break it down into manageable pieces, from a tamarind tree to an old stump.An Important Global Topic: A perfect starting point for conversations with young readers about the challenges many children face to get clean water.
