In South Sudan, Nya has to walk every day to a well to fill up water jugs for the family. Today, her mom makes her take her younger sister, Akeer along too. Akeer is tired and keeps slowing Nya. Nya tries to distract Akeer by pointing out things to see, and singing the clapping game song. At the watering hole, they drink deeply and play the clapping game twice before heading back towards home. On the return trip, Akeer drags her feet, walking even more slowly. Finally she starts to cry and sits down. Nya snaps at her, but then realizes Akeer is not usually a crybaby. When Nya knelt, she realized Akeer was sick with a fever and they were half a morning’s walk from home. Nya couldn’t leave Akeer and they couldn’t wait for what might be hours for someone to come along. Nya emptied part of the jug and had Akeer climb on her back and tied her on with a headscarf. Together Akeer and the jug were so heavy, Nya could only walk a few steps at a time before she had to rest. As she approaches the village, people rush to take Akeer and the water from her and she sinks to the ground exhausted. No matter how tired, her mother needs Nya’s help to carry food water for the 2-3 day walk to the clinic to get Akeer help.

The story is a powerful message on the scarcity of safe water for large numbers of the world’s people. The endpapers include information about Salva Dut, a former refuge who with his organization, Water for South Sudan, is installing wells to provide clean water. While told through fictional characters, the story also illustrates how access to clean water also made it possible for young girls to receive schooling.

Nya’s Long Walk is a picture book companion to Linda Sue Park’s novel, A Long Walk to Water.