A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Interest Level: 5-8

Lexile: 720L

Reading Level: 4.4
Genre: Realistic Fiction & Historical Fiction

When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on the life of Salva Dut, who, after emigrating to America in 1996, began a project to dig water wells in Sudan.

A powerful story that reminds you how lucky we are to have access to something as simple as water. A must read for all middle school students. I highly recommend this book.