Customer Reviews

Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom

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Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale Of Friendship And Freedom, by Tim Tingle and featuring illustrations by Jeanne Rorex Bridges is the inspiring tale of Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl. Following Martha Tom through her pursuit of blackberries in the deep forest, Crossing Bok Chitto will captivate young readers with vivid and colorful pictures as the young Native American girl stumbles upon a forbidden slave church and befriends one of its members. A welcome addition to school and community library picturebook collections, Crossing Bok Chitto is very highly recommended for all young readers as a celebration of diversity, acceptance, and unity in a remarkable production of expert authorship and invaluable illustrations.

This story is ideal for teachers to use when covering The Underground Railroad with their students. The illustrations throw the reader back to a time when Native Americans and African Americans worked together to achieve freedom and independence. Students will enjoy the simple plot; and teachers will appreciate this rich piece of literature that can help them discuss a rather difficult topic--that of slavery and escape to freedom.

Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle is about a girl called Martha Tom who crosses a river called Bok Chitto looking for blackberries. The river however is also the boundary for slavery, once a slave crosses the river the river it is free. When she finally finds blackberries she also finds herself lost. Then a slave comes and talks to her. Later he tells his son called Little Mo to take her to the river. Then Martha Tom visited Little Mo and his family every Sunday to go to church with them. All goes well until Little Mo's mother gets sold, so they plan to escape. Everything goes to plan until they reach the river. Little Mo had forgotten the secret way to cross the river. Then Little Mo put his hands in the river, finds the path, and crosses it. After that Little Mo ran into Martha Tom's house begging for help. With that Martha Tom's mother told all the women of the tribe to put on their white ceremony dresses. Then the women acted like spirits and helped the family cross the river into freedom.

No matter how different you are you can still be friends. Little Mo guided Martha Tom to the river. Martha Tom showed Little Mo the secret way to cross the river. The Choctaw helped Little Mo's family cross the river. Even though they had different traditions they were still friends. Martha Tom broke the rule to visit Little Mo. I would recommend this book anyone who enjoys friendship.

By Fardeen

Ours is a mixedblood family of Choctaw/Chickasaw and African American blood so we've gone out of our way to raise our children with books about both cultures and found a gem in Crossing Bok Chitto. My daughter so loved the book that she read it all over the house after we read it together. My twelve year old picked it up out of curiosity and enjoyed it as well. My daughter now wants to go to Philadelphia, Mississippi to see Bok Chitto herself!

I am a little biased, since I have met the author and heard him recite this story in a storytelling gathering, but the story is awesome. It is moving, relevant and I would like everyone I know to hear this story of sacrifice, friendship and courage. The peaceful and courageous ways of native Americans is shown well in the story of a brave child and her family who think nothing to risk their own lives for an African American family whose mother is slated to be sold into slavery. It gives me chills every time I hear it or read it. An all time favorite of mine and is for all ages.

An excellent tale of friendship and compassion between enslaved Africans and oppressed Native Americans. It is sure to spark interest and research on how they worked together to help one another during the time of American slavery.

A wonderful story of people helping people, based on old Choctaw legends. Bok Chitto is a river; on one side are Choctaw lands and on the other are the lands of plantation owners and slaves. When a group of slaves learn their family is to be sold to another plantation, the slaves use their friendship with the Choctaw people to find a way to escape across Bok Chitto and into freedom on Choctaw land.

The Bok Chitto river seperates Choctow territory from United States territory. Slaves who cross the river are considered free. Marta Tom, a young Choctaw crosses the river to pick blackberries. While there, she meets and becomes friends with slaves on the plantation. Her friend's mother is to be sold to another plantation, so Marta Tom helps the family cross the river to freedom. Following the story is a note on modern Choctaw culture. Overall, this is a beautiful story, well illustrated and told.

I have bought several copies of this book. The last I was pleased to find on Amazon. This copy went to the students we tutor. It is an exciting tale of a Choctaw girl, a slave boy, their families, customs, and escaping slavery. My student and I were thrilled to find the illustrations on exhibit at the Oklahoma History Museum.

This book is a great example of the how the native american and african american cultures come together. This story does more to celebrate oral traditions of storytelling in three cultures.. Indian, Black, and White. I can see each culture sharing the story. This book must be read... and for best results read out loud.