“Don’t Look Back,” by Achut Deng and Keely Hutton is the One Book, One Sioux County choice for 2024. It is a memoir of a girl who survived the Sudanese Civil War and fought to save her own life. Achut Deng walked miles through a war-torn country, ending up in a refugee camp where she lived for 10 years; she eventually had the opportunity to move to the United States and settled in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Her powerful story details her experiences, her unwavering perseverance, and her will to live.

Deng’s story, written with author Keely Hutton, chronicles the terrifying reality of growing up in a war zone, a situation faced by far too many children across the world. Yet the book is also a testament to the goodness in humanity and the power of moving forward, overcoming the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the way.

Books are available for checkout at the front desk of the Orange City Public Library. Join us for a discussion of the book on Thursday, August 22 from 6-7 pm.

A conversation with the authors will take place on November 14 at 7:00 pm at Dordt University.