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Quick answer: If your child liked A Long Walk to Water, read Inside Out and Back Again, Refugee, Esperanza Rising and The Breadwinner. All follow young people through hardship, displacement and hope.
Linda Sue Park's novel alternates between two Sudanese children: Salva, a boy fleeing war in 1985, and Nya, a girl who walks for water in 2008. The books below share that mix of survival, courage and compassion. Most are for ages 9 to 14, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside Out and Back Again | Thanhha Lai | 9–13 | poetry fans |
| Refugee | Alan Gratz | 10–14 | three stories in one |
| Esperanza Rising | Pam Muñoz Ryan | 9–13 | immigrant stories |
| Other Words for Home | Jasmine Warga | 9–13 | verse novels |
| The Breadwinner | Deborah Ellis | 9–13 | Afghanistan stories |
| I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition) | Malala Yousafzai | 10–14 | true stories |
| When Stars Are Scattered | Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed | 9–13 | graphic memoirs |
| The Red Pencil | Andrea Davis Pinkney | 10–14 | verse and hope |
| Brown Girl Dreaming | Jacqueline Woodson | 9–13 | memoir in verse |
| The Girl Who Smiled Beads | Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Weil | Teen | older readers |
| Never Fall Down | Patricia McCormick | 11–14 | survival stories |
| Front Desk | Kelly Yang | 8–12 | family courage |
| Hana's Suitcase | Karen Levine | 8–12 | true history |
| Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | 9–12 | rescue stories |
| Save Me a Seat | Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan | 8–12 | school and friendship |
1. Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
A ten-year-old Vietnamese girl flees to Alabama in 1975. Told in short, simple poems.
Best for: poetry fans.
2. Refugee by Alan Gratz
Three children in different eras, from Nazi Germany, Cuba and Syria, flee their homes. Fast and powerful.
Best for: three stories in one.
3. Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
A girl from a wealthy Mexican family becomes a farm worker in California during the Depression. Warm and moving.
Best for: immigrant stories.
4. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
A Syrian girl moves to the United States and finds a new life. Told in verse.
Best for: verse novels.
5. The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
A girl in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan dresses as a boy to feed her family. Short and gripping.
Best for: Afghanistan stories.
6. I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai
Malala's own story, adapted for younger readers. Inspiring and clear.
Best for: true stories.
7. When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
A graphic memoir of two brothers growing up in a refugee camp in Kenya. Gentle and honest.
Best for: graphic memoirs.
8. The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney
A girl in Darfur survives conflict and finds hope in a pencil. Told in verse.
Best for: verse and hope.
9. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
A memoir in verse about growing up in the 1960s and 70s. Lyrical and warm.
Best for: memoir in verse.
10. The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Weil
A woman describes fleeing the Rwandan genocide as a child. Honest and brave.
Best for: older readers.
11. Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
A boy survives the Cambodian genocide by playing music. Spare and haunting.
Best for: survival stories.
12. Front Desk by Kelly Yang
A girl helps run a motel for her immigrant parents. Funny and heartfelt.
Best for: family courage.
13. Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine
A Japanese museum director searches for the story of a girl killed in the Holocaust. A true tale.
Best for: true history.
14. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A girl helps her Jewish friend escape Denmark in 1943. Short and powerful.
Best for: rescue stories.
15. Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Two boys, one Indian American and one a lifelong local, face a bully in school. Funny and kind.
Best for: school and friendship.
How to Choose
For stories in verse, Inside Out and Back Again or Other Words for Home. For true stories, I Am Malala and When Stars Are Scattered. For adventure and history, Refugee. For lighter reading, Front Desk. Many of these books are sad, so talk with your child as you read. For classroom or family reading, pair this book with a map of Sudan and South Sudan. Talk about water access in your own community and the world. The charity Water for South Sudan offers resources for students who want to learn more.
Related: The Water Dancer Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes) · The Covenant of Water Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Long Walk to Water about?
Salva Dut flees the Sudanese civil war as a boy, while Nya walks hours each day for water, and their stories meet.
Is it a true story?
Salva's story is real, and Nya's is fictional but based on real experiences.
What age is it for?
About 9 to 13, though older readers enjoy it too.
Is it sad?
It has hardship and loss, but ends with hope.
Did Salva start a charity?
Yes. Salva Dut founded Water for South Sudan, which builds wells.
How long is A Long Walk to Water?
It is short, about 120 pages, and is often read in a week.
Is it too sad for third graders?
It contains war and death, so many teachers use it from grade five or six.
Is there a Nya in real life?
Nya is fictional, based on the girls who walk for water in the region.
Is the book on school reading lists?
Yes. It is commonly used in middle school classrooms.