A Long Walk to Water

About this book

Two stories braid together: Salva, one of Sudan's 'Lost Boys,' flees civil war on foot in 1985, and Nya, a girl in 2008, walks hours each day to fetch water. Based on the true story of Salva Dut, the short novel is one of the most widely assigned middle-school texts on resilience and access to clean water.

Why widely assigned

This Historical Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 5–8. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and perseverance.

Where this book is assigned

No curriculum assignments on file yet.

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  To Kill a Mockingbird
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Common questions

What grade level is A Long Walk to Water?

A Long Walk to Water is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8, with a Lexile measure of 720L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

What is the Lexile level of A Long Walk to Water?

A Long Walk to Water has a Lexile measure of 720L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.

How long does it take to read A Long Walk to Water?

It takes about 2h 20m to read A Long Walk to Water (128 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 140 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is A Long Walk to Water hard to read for 5th grade?

At 720L, A Long Walk to Water reads below the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 5th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.

Is A Long Walk to Water banned in schools?

A Long Walk to Water does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.