A Book Review to Celebrate Black History Month

What better way to recognize Black History Month than by reading historical fiction? I found a fast-action, eye-opening middle grade novel for you that I devoured in one evening. Amazon readers liked it too. Of the 14,000+ reviews, 84% ranked it a five-star story.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is told from two points of view. The story begins in the impoverished country of Sudan in 2008 with 11-year-old Nya collecting water for her family. I soon learned that she performs this chore many times a day with each arduous journey taking several hours. It’s her only job. She’s not allowed to attend school.

The story then moves to 1985 and 11-year-old Salva. A religious war has erupted between North and South Sudan, and his schoolhouse is caught in the middle of a deadly battle. His teacher shoves the students out the back door with a warning not to go home, but to head into the bush. Salva runs until he can’t breathe, then stops. He realizes that he’s on his own and must make his way somewhere safe. But where? The United States government has since dubbed him a Lost Boy, one of the thousands who were separated from their families during this devastating civil war.

The story shifts smoothly back and forth between the two time periods and the two main characters, who pull on their inner strengths to survive their poverty-stricken and sometimes dangerous lives. As I wondered how the paths of the two would cross, the author began to weave in well-timed hints. After reading the last page, I sat back and said, “Wow,” then asked myself how I could help. The author, thankfully, left resources for more information in her end notes.

This is a must-read for middle graders and their parents. If you read the reviews, you’ll find that many students approached their parents with questions about the tale’s accuracy. Yes, it’s a true story. And yes, it’s a perfect book for adults to read with kids who are at least nine years old. If you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited, you can read it now for free.

I’d also like to recommend Sooley by John Grisham for older teens (because of the language and content). In a departure from his attorney-focused books, Grisham spins a heart-wrenching work of fiction about a basketball player who is forced to stay in the United States after a tournament when he receives news that his South Sudan village has been ransacked during the same war that upended young Salva’s life. It’s a bittersweet masterpiece.

What books do you recommend that MG and YA students read during Black History Month?