A Long Walk to Water

Linda Sue Park

Linda Sue Park is a Korean American author of children’s fiction whose career began with Seesaw Girl in 1999. She is best known for historical novels rooted in Korean culture, supported by research into her heritage and often accompanied by author’s notes and bibliographies. Her settings range from ancient and medieval Korea to the Japanese occupation during World War II, but her focus remains closely human: young people confronting historical pressures through work, family loyalties, threatened identities, and the demands of survival. A Single Shard, awarded the 2002 Newbery Medal, places an orphan’s ambitions within the exacting world of twelfth-century celadon pottery, while When My Name Was Keoko uses alternating sibling perspectives to show occupation entering everyday life. Park generally favors direct, character-centered storytelling with strong narrative momentum. Her range extends beyond Korean history, notably to displacement and scarce water in A Long Walk to Water and to the international adventure of Storm Warning, written for The 39 Clues series.