This book caught me by surprise in the BEST way. I started House Arrest thinking i'd just read a few pages before bed. Hours later after turning the last page, I found myself with tears streaming down my face, sad that the book was done.

Timothy is a 12 year old boy put under house arrest for stealing a wallet. Those are the facts and you might be thinking - a book about a juvenile delinquent, how good can this be? That's what I was thinking anyway, then you start to read.

It goes by quickly because the writing is done in a simple journal format and some entries are just a few sentences. It took me about 2 hours to read the book. Once you get drawn in, it's pretty instantaneous - you simply start to like Timothy. You see there is so much going on in his life - a sick baby brother, a dad who abandoned the family when things got hard and a mom who is really struggling to keep it all together. Timothy didn't just steal a wallet because he is a delinquent - he was trying to help his family.

As Timothy writes in his court mandated journal (that's basically the book's format - it's his journal) we get an inside peek at what is going on with his family, the people around him (I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting characters in this book) and of course how he feels about everything over the course of the year that the entries take place. What a year it is for Timothy - the entries had me feeling a roller coaster of emotions! I found myself sad, frustrated & angry but then I'd catch myself smiling, feeling hopeful and happy. I don't want to give spoilers, this book should be enjoyed as it unfolds - allow yourself to experience the whirl of emotions and enjoy them all.

The topics in this book were tough - self-harm, abuse, homelessness, mental illness, addiction, suicide and depression to name some of the more prominent ones. I appreciate that Glasgow was honest, raw and open in her depiction of these issues and put it all out there. She didn't shy away from the bleak and ugly side of things at all. Charlie went through a lot and while I felt for her I must be honest and say I was also very frustrated by her choices. That might have been intentional on Glasgow's part but I personally felt disconnected with the second part of the book because of it even though I initially connected to the first part.

I also had a hard time with the overall lack of secondary character development. We met so many characters throughout the book as they swept in and out of Charlie's life, and many of them were quite interesting. I would have loved to know more about them but sadly we don't get that. Again, that might have been intentional to show how fleeting or surface level these relationships were to Charlie. Personally, it left me emotionally wanting.

Finally, the book was s-l-o-w (entirely too slow for me personally) but I think that was the author's point. It was definitely focused on Charlie, her inner turmoil and her everyday struggles and it read that way. Unfortunately, that made some parts feel tedious and boring since I wasn't fully connected with Charlie.

Overall, the book was good just not great for me. It was an emotionally heavy book yet Glasgow managed to infuse hope into it even though it was centered on so many dark, heavy and taboo topics.

A Long Walk to Water was a poignant, touching story that will appeal to readers of all ages.

While technically a middle grade novel, this is a story that everyone would benefit from reading. It's a quick read, told as two alternating stories - that of a young girl Nya in the Sudan in 2008 and a young man Salva in 1985. Both of their stories are compelling, emotional and inspirational.

Nya must walk hours each day to a far away well to get water for her family. Salva's story is heart-wrenching. His village is attacked and he is separated from his family. Salva's journey is fraught with loss, tragedy, unwavering hope and courage. It was unimaginable to me to think about the horrors children face when they are displaced from their homes, separated from their families and in refugee camps. Salva's sheer will to survive was inspirational. I don't know how I'd cope in such a situation.

I loved how these two seemingly unconnected stories intertwined in the end. What the book lacks in pages it makes up for in impact. It is impossible not to feel empathy for the characters within these pages and be moved by their stories. This is one book I highly recommend reading & discussing with all the important children in your life.