by Linda Sue Park
illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Clarion Books, September 3, 2019
Hardcover: 978-1328781338
32 pages, ages 4-8

a companion picture book
to the bestselling novel 
A Long Walk to Water

Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time

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, reducing waterborne illness.

Resources

Recognition

2020 ALSC Notable Children’s Books
Bank Street College of Education, Best Books of the Year 2020, Today, Five to Nine
2020 CCBC Choices
Junior Library Guild selection
2020 NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People

Reviews

“Newbery medalist Park returns to the theme of her acclaimed novel A Long Walk to Water (2010), bringing a tender sensibility to this blend of fiction and reality that brings home the visceral fragility of living without access to fresh, clean water.”

“With compassion, the creators present younger readers with a portrait of a life in which determination is needed just to get enough clean water to drink, a reality for many villagers in South Sudan.”

“Pinkney’s swirling watercolors aptly portray the open topography of South Sudan and depict both the hardships and closeness of this family…. [This book] helps young readers understand the realities of this water crisis and the solutions that have improved the quality of life for many.”

“The illustrations beautifully capture life in a small South Sudanese village and earth-toned swirls create a lovely impression of dust and heat … A thought-provoking story to inspire ­empathy and social consciousness.”

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The hardcover of Nya's Long Walk is available from your favorite independent bookseller, your public library, or these online retailers:

BUY NOW

The e-book of Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time is available from your public library or these online retailers: