Crossing Bok Chitto

Book: Tingle, T. (2006). Crossing bok chitto. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.

Summary:           The Bok Chitto river separates the Choctaw Indians from the South, land of plantations and slaves. An unlikely friendship forms when a slave boy befriends a Choctaw girl, when she gets lost on the slave side. Disaster strikes when Little Mo’s mother has been sold to the slave traders. Little Mo and his family flee to the river and he gets the Choctaw ladies to help.

Impression:           This picture book makes the connection between Native Americans and the African-American slaves. Little Martha Tom and Little Mo become friends and learn about each other’s peoples. She teaches him how to cross the secret Choctaw rock bridge and he teaches her how to walk without being seen by the white plantation owners. The final scene of the women in white dresses lining the banks of the river is stunning. The story is touching and the reader wishes that it was true.           The artwork is beautiful and water color landscapes are muted with grays that give a somber atmosphere. Slave life on a plantation was somber and the illustrator has captured the mood. The faces of the characters are moving, because they stare right out at the reader.            The reference pages about the Choctaw Indians is a good resource. It provides the backdrop for the story and the importance of storytelling among the Choctaw people. This book can’t be used as historical fiction, because there is no way to confirm the accuracy of the story. The elements of slavery and Choctaw life is true and makes for a great story.

Library Use: I would read this story to older elementary students to represent Native American stories. It would read it as part of a series of exploring Native American stories for discussion. I would open with a discussion about the location of American tribes before the Civil War and after the war. Children will want to know, if the story is true. We can identify the elements of reality from the story, like the tribe’s homeland, the Underground Railroad and the harsh reality of slave auctions. Universal themes of friendship and bravery could be explored, too. Students could create pictograms of what does friendship mean.