Geography & Locations
What country is Salva from?
Sudan
What did Nya do everyday to help her family?
She fetched water for her family.
What was the name of Salva's friend?
Marial
How old was Salva when he had to leave his home?
About 11 years old.
What are 3 things that made Salva's journey hard?
1) War
2) Being separated from family
3) Hunger
4) Thirst
5) Walking a long way
What country is Nya from, and what does she do everyday?
Nya is from South Sudan, and she walks for a long amount of time to get water.
How many hours did Nya spend walking for water each day?
About eight hours.
Who was Salva’s uncle, and what job did he have before the war?
His name was Uncle Jewiir, and he was a soldier in the Sudanese army.
What was one thing Salva was afraid to do, but learned to do later?
Speak in front of people (public speaking).
Where did Salva sleep the first night after running away?
In a barn with an old woman.
Name 2 countries near South Sudan.
Kenya and Ethiopia
Why did Nya's brother get sick? How did her family feel when he got sick?
He drank dirty water. They were nervous/anxious to see what would happen to him.
What happened to Salva's friend Marial?
He was (separated from the group and) killed by a lion.
What English words did Salva find confusing?
“Cold” and “cool” sounded alike but had different meanings.
What problems did Salva have when he first arrived at the refugee camp?
He was lonely, scared, and didn’t know anyone.
What is the name of the dangerous river near Ethiopia? What dangerous thing does the river have?
The Gilo River. It has dangerous crocodiles.
What is a clinic, and why did Nya's family go there?
A clinic is a small hospital. They went because her brother was sick.
At the refugee camp, who taught Salva English and showed him how to play volleyball? What was this person’s job and where was he from?
Michael, an aid worker from Ireland.
What did Salva do after he learned English in the United States?
He raised money to build wells for clean water in South Sudan.
Why didn't Nya trust Salva when they first met?
Because he was from a different tribe, and different tribes fought each other and therefore didn’t trust each other.
What U.S. city and state did Salva move to?
Rochester, New York.
How did Salva help Nya’s village at the end of the book?
He built a well for clean water in her village.
What did Salva do to help the other boys walk to Kenya, and why was he a good leader?
Salva helped the boys stay together and keep walking. He was a good leader because he was strong, brave, and kind.
How did education change Salva's life? How did it help him and the people in his country?
Education helped Salva get a better life in America. It also helped him teach people in South Sudan by building wells and giving clean water.
How do Salva’s and Nya’s stories connect at the end of the book?
Salva builds a well in Nya’s village, which brings clean water, changes her daily life, improves health, and gives the village hope for the future.