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Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom
There is a river called Bok Chitto that cuts through Mississippi. In the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears, Bok Chitto was a boundary. On one side of the river lived the Choctaws. On the other side lived the plantation owners and their slaves. If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free.
Thus begins Crossing Bok Chitto, told by award-winning Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle and brought to life with the rich illustrations of Jeanne Rorex Bridges.
Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl, knows better than to cross Bok Chitto, but one day--in search of blackberries--she disobeys her mother and finds herself on the other side. A tall slave discovers Martha Tom. A friendship begins between Martha Tom and the slave's family, most particularly his young son, Little Mo. Soon afterwards, Little Mo's mother finds out that she is going to be sold. The situation seems hopeless, except that Martha Tom teaches Little Mo's family how to walk on water to their freedom.
Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle blends songs, cedar flute, and drum with tribal lore to bring the lore of the Choctaw Nation to life in lively historical, personal, and traditional stories. His collection of stories Walking the Choctaw Road was selected as the Oklahoma Book of the Year.
Artist Jeanne Rorex Bridges traces her heritage back to her Cherokee ancestors. Crossing Bok Chitto is her first fully illustrated book.
Thus begins Crossing Bok Chitto, told by award-winning Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle and brought to life with the rich illustrations of Jeanne Rorex Bridges.
Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl, knows better than to cross Bok Chitto, but one day--in search of blackberries--she disobeys her mother and finds herself on the other side. A tall slave discovers Martha Tom. A friendship begins between Martha Tom and the slave's family, most particularly his young son, Little Mo. Soon afterwards, Little Mo's mother finds out that she is going to be sold. The situation seems hopeless, except that Martha Tom teaches Little Mo's family how to walk on water to their freedom.
Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle blends songs, cedar flute, and drum with tribal lore to bring the lore of the Choctaw Nation to life in lively historical, personal, and traditional stories. His collection of stories Walking the Choctaw Road was selected as the Oklahoma Book of the Year.
Artist Jeanne Rorex Bridges traces her heritage back to her Cherokee ancestors. Crossing Bok Chitto is her first fully illustrated book.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2006
8 people are currently reading
1135 people want to read
About the author
Tim Tingle
50 books128 followersTim Tingle, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is a popular presenter at storytelling and folklore festivals across America. He was featured at the 2002 National Storytelling Festival. In 2004, he was a Teller-In-Residence at The International Storytelling Center, Jonesborough, Tennessee. Choctaw Chief Gregory Pyle has requested a story by Tingle previous to his Annual State of the Nation Address at the Choctaw Labor Day Gathering--a celebration that attracts over thirty thousand people-- from 2002 to the present.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
December 14, 2019
This is a beautiful story about friendship, freedom and faith.
Martha Tom is a Choctaw Indian living on the Knife river in Mississippi. This river is the boundary between freedom and slaves. The Choctaw have built a way to cross the river. They built up a bridge under the surface of the water so you can walk across and it looks like you are walking through water. Martha crossed one day to berry pick and she found slaves going to church. She became friends with a boy. Time moves on. Later, the slave owner sells this boys mother and the whole family decide to try and cross the river to freedom to stay together. I don’t want to give away the ending. It’s so beautiful how they cross that night!
This is the story that is told about what happened that night. It is before the trail of tears. I assume there is some historical accuracy about the story and I’m also sure the story has been crafted by time to make a good story.
My opinion of the book is this is a great story. I learned something and I enjoyed reading it. I’m glad I did. I think this type of story is what a children’s book can do so well.
The nephew thought parts of the book were sort of good. He liked the bridge under the water so it looked like you were somehow magic to cross that river. He did say it was a long story and he thought the ending was really good. He was tense during the finish of the story and he loved how the family got out of bondage. He ended up giving this 3 stars, which for him is a big deal.
Martha Tom is a Choctaw Indian living on the Knife river in Mississippi. This river is the boundary between freedom and slaves. The Choctaw have built a way to cross the river. They built up a bridge under the surface of the water so you can walk across and it looks like you are walking through water. Martha crossed one day to berry pick and she found slaves going to church. She became friends with a boy. Time moves on. Later, the slave owner sells this boys mother and the whole family decide to try and cross the river to freedom to stay together. I don’t want to give away the ending. It’s so beautiful how they cross that night!
This is the story that is told about what happened that night. It is before the trail of tears. I assume there is some historical accuracy about the story and I’m also sure the story has been crafted by time to make a good story.
My opinion of the book is this is a great story. I learned something and I enjoyed reading it. I’m glad I did. I think this type of story is what a children’s book can do so well.
The nephew thought parts of the book were sort of good. He liked the bridge under the water so it looked like you were somehow magic to cross that river. He did say it was a long story and he thought the ending was really good. He was tense during the finish of the story and he loved how the family got out of bondage. He ended up giving this 3 stars, which for him is a big deal.
April 2, 2018
CROSSING BOK CHITTO
Beautiful story telling and illustrations. This is a children’s book that even an adult can enjoy.
My friend here in Cherokee County told me about this book, how she knew of the artist, Jeanne Bridges, a Cherokee woman from around here. Tim Tingle, the writer, is a storyteller. I have only listened to two Cherokee storytellers and both kept me spell bound, just as this book did, but I admit, listening to story telling is much better.
This book made me think of the Indian belief that you could make yourself invisible by chanting just a few words, that even I tried once, and they seemed to work. But in this case it was a black boy who taught his new Indian friend Martha Tom how to become invisible if you walked slow, but not too slow. My husband taught me that if you didn’t move, you would not be seen, because it is movement that draws attention, and so we tried it together and I saw that it worked. I intuitively used his method once when I was young woman and believe it saved my life, but that is another story. In this case, in this story, movement is necessary.
The story beings, “There is a river called Bok Chitto that cuts though Mississippi. In the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears, Bok Chitto was a boundary. On one side of the river lived the Choctaws, a nation of Indian people. On the other side lived the plantation owners and their slaves. If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free. The slave owner could not follow. That was the law,” and this was the story that Tim Tingle had once heard when he as in Mississippi.
Martha, a young Choctaw girl lives on one side of the Bok Chitto River with her tribe, and she was told to never cross the river to the other side but what child ever listens? I know, many do.
In the river there was a path made of flat rocks that the Choctaws had built, rocks that you could walk on in order to get across to the other side; rocks that the plantation owners could not see because they were just under the water. Because they were hard to see, you had to memorize this path in order to not fall into the river.
Martha learned to cross this river one day when she wanted to pick blackberries on the other side, but after picking the berries, she became lost in the woods and could not find the river. She came to a clearing where she saw rolled logs set in a circle. She found a log and sat down on it, but then a black man came to this clearing and called out, “We are bound for the promised land.” She quickly hid in the bushes, and just as she had, and seeing no one other than this man, a hundred voices cried out in a ghost like whispers, “We are bound for the promised land.”
Martha makes friends with the blacks and one family in particular whose young son helps her to get home safely by teaching her how to become invisible to the plantation owners. After that she and the boy Mo become close friends, and so you see she crosses the river again and again in order to spend time with him, and she also learns English and goes to their church. The story continues, but I will leave you here in their church with the choir singing, “Shall We Gather at the River.” I know, that changed the mood of my review, but I couldn’t help myself. Just think of me as the Cherokee Trickster Rabbit who is prone to humorously inappropriate behavior or in this case, writing. I just thought that that song was appropriate for this story.
Beautiful story telling and illustrations. This is a children’s book that even an adult can enjoy.
My friend here in Cherokee County told me about this book, how she knew of the artist, Jeanne Bridges, a Cherokee woman from around here. Tim Tingle, the writer, is a storyteller. I have only listened to two Cherokee storytellers and both kept me spell bound, just as this book did, but I admit, listening to story telling is much better.
This book made me think of the Indian belief that you could make yourself invisible by chanting just a few words, that even I tried once, and they seemed to work. But in this case it was a black boy who taught his new Indian friend Martha Tom how to become invisible if you walked slow, but not too slow. My husband taught me that if you didn’t move, you would not be seen, because it is movement that draws attention, and so we tried it together and I saw that it worked. I intuitively used his method once when I was young woman and believe it saved my life, but that is another story. In this case, in this story, movement is necessary.
The story beings, “There is a river called Bok Chitto that cuts though Mississippi. In the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears, Bok Chitto was a boundary. On one side of the river lived the Choctaws, a nation of Indian people. On the other side lived the plantation owners and their slaves. If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free. The slave owner could not follow. That was the law,” and this was the story that Tim Tingle had once heard when he as in Mississippi.
Martha, a young Choctaw girl lives on one side of the Bok Chitto River with her tribe, and she was told to never cross the river to the other side but what child ever listens? I know, many do.
In the river there was a path made of flat rocks that the Choctaws had built, rocks that you could walk on in order to get across to the other side; rocks that the plantation owners could not see because they were just under the water. Because they were hard to see, you had to memorize this path in order to not fall into the river.
Martha learned to cross this river one day when she wanted to pick blackberries on the other side, but after picking the berries, she became lost in the woods and could not find the river. She came to a clearing where she saw rolled logs set in a circle. She found a log and sat down on it, but then a black man came to this clearing and called out, “We are bound for the promised land.” She quickly hid in the bushes, and just as she had, and seeing no one other than this man, a hundred voices cried out in a ghost like whispers, “We are bound for the promised land.”
Martha makes friends with the blacks and one family in particular whose young son helps her to get home safely by teaching her how to become invisible to the plantation owners. After that she and the boy Mo become close friends, and so you see she crosses the river again and again in order to spend time with him, and she also learns English and goes to their church. The story continues, but I will leave you here in their church with the choir singing, “Shall We Gather at the River.” I know, that changed the mood of my review, but I couldn’t help myself. Just think of me as the Cherokee Trickster Rabbit who is prone to humorously inappropriate behavior or in this case, writing. I just thought that that song was appropriate for this story.
October 11, 2011
In Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle, the author combines the stories of two cultures into a unique tale. In the story, the Bok Chitto River cuts through Mississippi. On the one side lived slaves. On the other side lived the Choctaw Tribe. If a slave escaped across the river, they were free. As is expected, Choctaw girl crosses the river and meets a slave boy and they become friends. In the end, the Choctaw tribe is called upon to save the boy’s family from the slave catchers. I enjoyed this story very much.
One of the strengths of this book, was the way the author, who is known for his ghost stories and storytelling, and the illustrator create some very beautiful and ghostlike images within the pages. I like the way the author combined different cultural aspects of the Native and African American groups. I was disappointed at the end of the book. The author included some history of the Choctaw people and their storytelling, but didn’t expand or supplement the tale. While the information given was helpful and interesting, I would have hoped for some background as to where the story originated.
This picture book would be a great story for grades 2 and up. It not only could be used in lessons on friendship, slavery/civil war and civil rights, but would provide examples for the genres of folklore and historical fiction. Of the other Tim Tingle books I read, A Choctaw Journey from Darkness Into Light and When Turtle Grew Feathers, this was my favorite.
2008 American Indian Youth Literature Award Winners
One of the strengths of this book, was the way the author, who is known for his ghost stories and storytelling, and the illustrator create some very beautiful and ghostlike images within the pages. I like the way the author combined different cultural aspects of the Native and African American groups. I was disappointed at the end of the book. The author included some history of the Choctaw people and their storytelling, but didn’t expand or supplement the tale. While the information given was helpful and interesting, I would have hoped for some background as to where the story originated.
This picture book would be a great story for grades 2 and up. It not only could be used in lessons on friendship, slavery/civil war and civil rights, but would provide examples for the genres of folklore and historical fiction. Of the other Tim Tingle books I read, A Choctaw Journey from Darkness Into Light and When Turtle Grew Feathers, this was my favorite.
2008 American Indian Youth Literature Award Winners
July 17, 2010
This is a picture book inspired by a song that the author heard on a trip to visit the Mississippi band of Choctaw Indians. Two young children, Martha Tom, a member of the Choctaw tribe, and Mo (short for Moses), a black slave, become friends, even though the Bok Chitto River separates them. On one side live the Choctaws, Martha's tribe; on the other is plantation owners and their slaves, Mo’s family. The first page tells the reader, “If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free. The slave owner could not follow. That was the law.” The two become friends one day when Martha finds herself lost and needs help finding her way back home. Through Martha, Mo learns about the Choctaw way of life, their ceremonies, and their music. Through Mo, Martha learns English; she listens to the preaching at his church, and gets to know his family. Their friendship grows over time, until one day when Mo’s mother is sold into slavery, and he comes to Martha for help.
Tim Tingle weaves a story that captivates the reader. It tells of a friendship that takes place in the south, and is based on a true story of a Choctaw family that used to help runaway slaves cross the Bok Chitto River. This is a versatile picture book that could work in a varying range of classrooms. Students in grades 2-4 will enjoy listening to the story of the two friends, and the vivid paintings of Jeanne Rorex Bridges bring the words to life. This book can be paired with other picture books set during the same time period in history depicting slaves striving to be free. For middle school students to read, Tim Tingle has also written a collection of stories from the Choctaw tribe entitled "Walking the Choctaw Road." Older students in grades 5-8 will have the opportunity to learn more about the oral traditions of story telling, as there is a section written by the author in the back of the book that connects the story to the rich history of the Choctaw Indians. Tim Tingle writes, “Set in the old south, Crossing Bok Chitto is an Indian book, written by Indian voices and painted by an Indian artist.” There is much for students to gain by experiencing this story and learning more about the traditions of the Choctaw tribe, as well as discussing the themes of friendship, perseverance, and faith.
Tim Tingle weaves a story that captivates the reader. It tells of a friendship that takes place in the south, and is based on a true story of a Choctaw family that used to help runaway slaves cross the Bok Chitto River. This is a versatile picture book that could work in a varying range of classrooms. Students in grades 2-4 will enjoy listening to the story of the two friends, and the vivid paintings of Jeanne Rorex Bridges bring the words to life. This book can be paired with other picture books set during the same time period in history depicting slaves striving to be free. For middle school students to read, Tim Tingle has also written a collection of stories from the Choctaw tribe entitled "Walking the Choctaw Road." Older students in grades 5-8 will have the opportunity to learn more about the oral traditions of story telling, as there is a section written by the author in the back of the book that connects the story to the rich history of the Choctaw Indians. Tim Tingle writes, “Set in the old south, Crossing Bok Chitto is an Indian book, written by Indian voices and painted by an Indian artist.” There is much for students to gain by experiencing this story and learning more about the traditions of the Choctaw tribe, as well as discussing the themes of friendship, perseverance, and faith.
November 8, 2017
A wonderful story of a great miracle. I cried. Its a children story so you can read it very fast and the illustrations are very beautiful. I hope to find more of his books.
October 13, 2011
Crossing Bok Chitto describes the power of friendship in the late 1800’s in Mississippi. A Choctaw girl named Martha Tom meets a plantation boy named Little Mo as she crosses the forbidden river to fetch blueberries for her mother. Although her family disagrees, their growing friendship allows Martha Tom to help this planation family escape as their mother is threatened to be sold. Author, Tim Tinkle is a noted storyteller. This wonderful picture book would be an excellent read aloud as it is told in a rhythmic nature.
Intermediate readers would enjoy this imaginative tale. Students could discuss the power of friendship and the leap of faith Martha Tom and Little Mo took becoming friends in a very racially and ethnically separate world. The illustrator captures each character beautifully, representing their personalty and facial features in her large life-like illustrations. This picture book would enhance any unit of friendship, bravery, slavery, and Choctaw people in Oklahoma. The author includes biographical information about the Choctaws today and the art of story telling amongst this Native American tribe. Students could read other non-fiction books about the Choctaws including "The Choctaw" by Christin Ditchfield to further their knowledge of this tribe as well.
Intermediate readers would enjoy this imaginative tale. Students could discuss the power of friendship and the leap of faith Martha Tom and Little Mo took becoming friends in a very racially and ethnically separate world. The illustrator captures each character beautifully, representing their personalty and facial features in her large life-like illustrations. This picture book would enhance any unit of friendship, bravery, slavery, and Choctaw people in Oklahoma. The author includes biographical information about the Choctaws today and the art of story telling amongst this Native American tribe. Students could read other non-fiction books about the Choctaws including "The Choctaw" by Christin Ditchfield to further their knowledge of this tribe as well.
March 21, 2020
Beautifully illustrated and powerfully told, Crossing Bok Chitto is a moving tale of friendship - a friendship that traverses, not just the geographical boundary of the Bok Chitto River (also spelled "Bogue Chitto"), but the boundaries of culture and race as well. When Martha Tom, a young Chocktaw girl living in the Mississippi of the early 1800s - before the time of the Trail of Tears, or the coming of the Civil War - wanders across the forbidden Bok Chitto while searching for some blueberries, she is befriended by the members of an underground slave church, and guided back to the river by Little Mo, an African-American boy her own age. A friendship develops as the two children go back and forth across Bok Chitto, and when Little Mo's family is faced with a brutal separation, after his mother is sold away, he turns to Martha Tom and her community for help...
This story of a Chocktaw community that aids a runaway slave family in antebellum Mississippi is inspirational, and, according to Tim Tingle's afterword, has been passed down through the generations, in the oral tradition of that community. The illustrations by Cherokee artist Jeanne Rorex Bridges are lovely, with a distinctive folk sensibility that reminded me, at times, of a quilt. Many of the scenes are dominated by somber browns and muted lavenders, but the effect is intense, rather than drab, and makes the appearance of lighter shades - as when the white-garbed Chocktaw women guide Little Mo's family across the river - all the more striking. All in all, Crossing Bok Chitto is an outstanding book, one with strong narrative and aesthetic appeal, and one which explores an important aspect of American history - the interaction between Native American and African-American communities in the South.
That said, while I understand that Tingle is telling a particular story - one in which runaway slaves are sheltered by the Chocktaw - I found myself wondering how all of this this squares, historically speaking, with the fact that some Chocktaw people owned African slaves themselves. The narrative clearly states that, once slaves crossed the Bok Chitto, they were free. Should the reader assume that this only applied to slaves owned by whites? Or perhaps that this particular Chocktaw community didn't include any slave-owners? It's disappointing to see that Tingle's informative afterword, while it does discuss the subsequent Trail of Tears, doesn't mention the more complicated historical record of Chocktaw slave-owning (or the Chocktaw alliance with the Confederacy). It's not that I expect those aspects of the history to take center stage - that isn't the story being told here, after all - but the fact that they were entirely left out of an afterword meant to give historical and cultural background makes me uncomfortable. I don't know that the absence of this more complicated history "ruins" the book (I still gave it four stars, after all!), but it's something I think readers should be aware of...
This story of a Chocktaw community that aids a runaway slave family in antebellum Mississippi is inspirational, and, according to Tim Tingle's afterword, has been passed down through the generations, in the oral tradition of that community. The illustrations by Cherokee artist Jeanne Rorex Bridges are lovely, with a distinctive folk sensibility that reminded me, at times, of a quilt. Many of the scenes are dominated by somber browns and muted lavenders, but the effect is intense, rather than drab, and makes the appearance of lighter shades - as when the white-garbed Chocktaw women guide Little Mo's family across the river - all the more striking. All in all, Crossing Bok Chitto is an outstanding book, one with strong narrative and aesthetic appeal, and one which explores an important aspect of American history - the interaction between Native American and African-American communities in the South.
That said, while I understand that Tingle is telling a particular story - one in which runaway slaves are sheltered by the Chocktaw - I found myself wondering how all of this this squares, historically speaking, with the fact that some Chocktaw people owned African slaves themselves. The narrative clearly states that, once slaves crossed the Bok Chitto, they were free. Should the reader assume that this only applied to slaves owned by whites? Or perhaps that this particular Chocktaw community didn't include any slave-owners? It's disappointing to see that Tingle's informative afterword, while it does discuss the subsequent Trail of Tears, doesn't mention the more complicated historical record of Chocktaw slave-owning (or the Chocktaw alliance with the Confederacy). It's not that I expect those aspects of the history to take center stage - that isn't the story being told here, after all - but the fact that they were entirely left out of an afterword meant to give historical and cultural background makes me uncomfortable. I don't know that the absence of this more complicated history "ruins" the book (I still gave it four stars, after all!), but it's something I think readers should be aware of...
January 16, 2016
Martha Tom knows she's not supposed to cross Bok Chitto, but she does one day in search of blackberries. Martha Tom hides behind a bush when she hears someone and soon she is discovered by a tall slave. He instructs his son, Little Mo, to help Martha Tom get home. A friendship begins between Martha Tom, Little Mo and his family.
A unique and wonderful story about friendship and freedom. It is based on Choctaw lore and I thought it was a great story with good illustrations.
A unique and wonderful story about friendship and freedom. It is based on Choctaw lore and I thought it was a great story with good illustrations.
January 8, 2017
A beautifully written and illustrated story about First Nations people helping slaves escape to freedom. A story of friendship and trust.
November 13, 2022
Words fail me. Terrific book, highly recommended. Don't miss the notes. Not my first by Tingle, but I must look for more by him, too.
October 17, 2021
Lovely story, with beautiful illustrations. Makes my heart feel clean and free!
November 19, 2019
Picture books are never just for children. This is a wonderful story that helped me know more about the relationship between African-Americans and the Choctaws.
November 9, 2009
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom, by Jim Tingle, is a story of friendship, bravery, and liberation. The story takes place in Mississippi where a river called Bok Chitto was a boundary between the Indian nation of the Choctaws, and the plantation owners and their slaves. If the slaves were able to cross the river to the Choctaw side they would be free. One day a Choctaw girl named Martha Tom was sent to look for blackberries. She crossed the river to find them and ended up getting lost. As she looked through the woods she came upon a preacher of the forbidden slave church who deeply moved her. A kind man found her and realized she was lost. He sent his son, Little Mo, to help her find the river bank even though it was dangerous for a slave to be near the river. His father said, “There is a way to move amongst them where they won’t even notice you. It’s like you’re invisible. You move not too fast, not too slow, eyes to the ground, away you go!” He got her to the river safely, and she showed Little Mo the hidden path across the river. When the family found out that their mother has been sold and will be leaving the next day Little Mo showed his family the way to freedom with the help of the Choctaws.
This book could be used with second through sixth graders to gain insight and understanding of the relationship between Native Americans and African Slaves before the Civil War. The pictures, by Jeanne Rorex Bridges, are painted beautifully with acrylic paint. The peoples’ faces are painted to make them look strong and irrepressible while the landscape is calm and the perfect background for the story. The picture that shows the children’s feet on the rocks as they cross the river is breathtaking. Bridges’ subtle rainbow colors of the river and the rocks against the innocent children’s feet is powerful and enchanting. The endnotes tell about the Choctaws today and their storytelling. This story, they explain, started out as a song and became a tribute to “Indians of every nation who aided the runaway people of bondage.”
This book could be used with second through sixth graders to gain insight and understanding of the relationship between Native Americans and African Slaves before the Civil War. The pictures, by Jeanne Rorex Bridges, are painted beautifully with acrylic paint. The peoples’ faces are painted to make them look strong and irrepressible while the landscape is calm and the perfect background for the story. The picture that shows the children’s feet on the rocks as they cross the river is breathtaking. Bridges’ subtle rainbow colors of the river and the rocks against the innocent children’s feet is powerful and enchanting. The endnotes tell about the Choctaws today and their storytelling. This story, they explain, started out as a song and became a tribute to “Indians of every nation who aided the runaway people of bondage.”
July 15, 2010
AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH LITERATURE AWARD (2008)
Format: Picture book
Age level: Elementary
Protagonist: Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl
Review:
This story tells about the relationship between a young Choctaw girl, named Marth Tom, and a slave boy. Bok Chitto is a river that divided the plantation owners, where slaves were kept, from the Choctaw community. One day, Marth Tom crossed the river and came across a secret slave worship ceremony. Here she met Moe, a boy her age, and the rest of his family. Martha Tom continued to visit the slaves every Sunday when they had their time of worship. When Moe's family found out his mother had been sold, Martha Tom decided it was time to help. She gathered some of her family members, and they helped lead Moe and his family to freedom across the river.
One of the best parts of this story is that it is a friendship between a Native American girl and an African American boy. Most times, stories about slavery include white characters as central figures. It was really nice to read a story that paired two minority groups together.
The story itself is also refreshing. The friendship between the children is very simple and unassuming. There is no question of skin color or religion or acceptance. When her friend experiences trouble, Martha Tom hurries to help. This leads to a rather mystical part of the story. At first I thought that was out of place, but then I came to value this aspect as something representative of the Choctaw culture.
As for the illustrations, I thought they were perfect. The clothes worn by Marth Tom are not stereotypical; she is found in a simple cotton dress. However, there are illustrations of traditional clothing worn, but it is as part of a ceremony. The illustrator also did a nice job conveying emotions, such as annoyance, sadness, shock, and hope.
Overall, I felt this was a beautiful book with a beautiful story. It could be included in many thematic units, such as friendship, families, slavery, and Native Americans.
Format: Picture book
Age level: Elementary
Protagonist: Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl
Review:
This story tells about the relationship between a young Choctaw girl, named Marth Tom, and a slave boy. Bok Chitto is a river that divided the plantation owners, where slaves were kept, from the Choctaw community. One day, Marth Tom crossed the river and came across a secret slave worship ceremony. Here she met Moe, a boy her age, and the rest of his family. Martha Tom continued to visit the slaves every Sunday when they had their time of worship. When Moe's family found out his mother had been sold, Martha Tom decided it was time to help. She gathered some of her family members, and they helped lead Moe and his family to freedom across the river.
One of the best parts of this story is that it is a friendship between a Native American girl and an African American boy. Most times, stories about slavery include white characters as central figures. It was really nice to read a story that paired two minority groups together.
The story itself is also refreshing. The friendship between the children is very simple and unassuming. There is no question of skin color or religion or acceptance. When her friend experiences trouble, Martha Tom hurries to help. This leads to a rather mystical part of the story. At first I thought that was out of place, but then I came to value this aspect as something representative of the Choctaw culture.
As for the illustrations, I thought they were perfect. The clothes worn by Marth Tom are not stereotypical; she is found in a simple cotton dress. However, there are illustrations of traditional clothing worn, but it is as part of a ceremony. The illustrator also did a nice job conveying emotions, such as annoyance, sadness, shock, and hope.
Overall, I felt this was a beautiful book with a beautiful story. It could be included in many thematic units, such as friendship, families, slavery, and Native Americans.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2011
The story Crossing Bok Chitto is a story about Martha Tom a young Choctaw girl. She lived along the banks of the Bok Chitto a river that separated her village from the plantations. Her and her people were free, but across the river those of color were slaves. One day Martha crossed the river via a secrete stone path inches below the muddy water to pick black berries. While in search of berries she became lost. A young slave boy by the name of Mo show her the way back to the river. From this meeting sprang a friend ship that would last for years. One day Mo’s mother had been sold and was to leave in the morning and Mo would never see his mother again. Mo decided that the best way to save his mom and keep his family together is to cross the Bok Chitto, because once they cross the plantation owners could not follow, it was the law and they would be free. The Choctaw people helped them cross with a diversion of light and the secrete path that lay only inches below the muddy water of the Bok Chitto. This night was remembered by many for a time to come. The plantation owners talk of the nigh they witnessed seven black spirits walk on water to their freedom.
I found this story very enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to all audiences. While it was clearly written for older children and not adults I still found the story timeless because of the subject of friendship and the obstacles it can overcome.
I found this story very enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to all audiences. While it was clearly written for older children and not adults I still found the story timeless because of the subject of friendship and the obstacles it can overcome.
April 18, 2013
Martha Tom is sent out to find blackberries. On her way, she crosses the Bok Chitto River to the side where plantation owners live with their slaves. She comes across a group of slaves singing and befriends a boy named Moses. Moses’ family is in need of help, because his mother has been sold and he asks Martha to help them. The family crosses the river with the help of the Choctaw women, leaving the overseers on the slave side thinking that they saw black spirits walking across the water to freedom.
I was thrilled to find this book on the shelf at the public library. Rarely do I find books about time periods before the Trail of Tears. I love hearing or reading stories about those that defied the law and chose to do what was right instead of what was easy. Another reason this book held my attention, is because it showcases the bravery of children. It is Moses that suggests that the family cross Bok Chitto and it is Martha that leads them to freedom.
The illustrations use earth tone colors. The facial expressions of the Natives and the Blacks are the same, with the exception of the colors used for skin tone. The use of shadow does a great job in showing the slaves surfacing like spirits from the woods. You can see the reflection of the rocks in the river when Martha shows Moses how to cross the river for the first time. The water is calm, giving a sense of security to those that cross: safety.
I was thrilled to find this book on the shelf at the public library. Rarely do I find books about time periods before the Trail of Tears. I love hearing or reading stories about those that defied the law and chose to do what was right instead of what was easy. Another reason this book held my attention, is because it showcases the bravery of children. It is Moses that suggests that the family cross Bok Chitto and it is Martha that leads them to freedom.
The illustrations use earth tone colors. The facial expressions of the Natives and the Blacks are the same, with the exception of the colors used for skin tone. The use of shadow does a great job in showing the slaves surfacing like spirits from the woods. You can see the reflection of the rocks in the river when Martha shows Moses how to cross the river for the first time. The water is calm, giving a sense of security to those that cross: safety.
October 24, 2011
2008 American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner
2007 Jane Adams Award Honor Book
This is a beautifully illustrated story about the Choctaw Indian village, a slave plantation and the river that divides them. The main character is a young Choctaw Indian girl, who stumbles upon a forbidden slave church while looking for blackberries. She is discovered by a slave who then asks a young boy to guide her back to the river. The two become friends and she eventually leads them to the boy and his family to freedom.
Although this story came from a tribal legend, one of the things that bothered me is that it is not very realistic. The family thinks they can become invisible enough to escape to freedom, and then they actually do turn invisible. The boy and girl walk right in front of the plantation owners, and no one questions them. This is the first time she ever crosses the river, and she can easily have a discussion with the boy and his family. The girl shows the boy how to cross the river to freedom in the beginning, but he doesn’t do it until the end. This is one of those everyone is happy and all ends well books that just happens to talk about Indians and Slavery.
This would be a good book for intermediate grade students. The younger ones don’t have the patience for the long dialogue and the older ones will try to find the logistics in the legend.
2007 Jane Adams Award Honor Book
This is a beautifully illustrated story about the Choctaw Indian village, a slave plantation and the river that divides them. The main character is a young Choctaw Indian girl, who stumbles upon a forbidden slave church while looking for blackberries. She is discovered by a slave who then asks a young boy to guide her back to the river. The two become friends and she eventually leads them to the boy and his family to freedom.
Although this story came from a tribal legend, one of the things that bothered me is that it is not very realistic. The family thinks they can become invisible enough to escape to freedom, and then they actually do turn invisible. The boy and girl walk right in front of the plantation owners, and no one questions them. This is the first time she ever crosses the river, and she can easily have a discussion with the boy and his family. The girl shows the boy how to cross the river to freedom in the beginning, but he doesn’t do it until the end. This is one of those everyone is happy and all ends well books that just happens to talk about Indians and Slavery.
This would be a good book for intermediate grade students. The younger ones don’t have the patience for the long dialogue and the older ones will try to find the logistics in the legend.
May 26, 2012
This story of a Native American girl and her unlikely friendship with an African American slave from the other side of the Bok Chitto River touched my heart. It is told on the side of the Choctaw and has been told for generations and now is written and illustrated in beautiful muted painted colors. Nothing stands out in the illustrations, the reader has to look carefully at all of them to take in all of the landscape.
Martha Tom is the Choctaw girl who goes looking for blackberries across the forbidden Bok Chitto river in Mississippi. Once there, she finds herself lost and moving farther away from the river. The biggest man she ever saw had his son, Little Mo help her get back home even though it was dangerous for him. This started a friendship that lasted for years. When trouble came for Little Mo's family - Martha Tom and her Choctaw family were able to help them to freedom.
I found the words to be strong yet in many ways kind - and good for second or third graders learning about the American tragic history of slavery and displacement of native people. Jeanne Rorex Bridges illustrates true emotions on the faces of these very real people in desperate times. This is a powerful read that children would be able to connect with.
Martha Tom is the Choctaw girl who goes looking for blackberries across the forbidden Bok Chitto river in Mississippi. Once there, she finds herself lost and moving farther away from the river. The biggest man she ever saw had his son, Little Mo help her get back home even though it was dangerous for him. This started a friendship that lasted for years. When trouble came for Little Mo's family - Martha Tom and her Choctaw family were able to help them to freedom.
I found the words to be strong yet in many ways kind - and good for second or third graders learning about the American tragic history of slavery and displacement of native people. Jeanne Rorex Bridges illustrates true emotions on the faces of these very real people in desperate times. This is a powerful read that children would be able to connect with.
May 2, 2017
Overall, I enjoyed this tale of Choctaws helping slaves escape to freedom. The reason I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4 is because the illustrations seemed a bit stiff to me, and because the story was believable and realistic up until the escaping slave family became invisible. That was a jarring bit of fantasy in an otherwise beautiful story. The historical information provided at the end provided an interesting background to the tale. This book was a 2008 American Indian Youth Literature Award winner.
March 29, 2010
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom is appropriate for children in grades 2-4. It was a Jane Addams Peace Award Honor Book for younger children in 2007.
Recently, every time I read a book about slavery, whether it's a children's book or a novel, I learn something new. This was the case with Crossing Bok Chitto. Before the Civil War, the Choctaw Indians lived on one side of the Bok Chitto River, a river that cuts through the Mississippi. And plantation owners and slaves lived on the other. If slaves could cross Bok Chitto, onto the reservation, they were free. This premise sets the reader up for the events that follow. Martha Tom, a young Native American, needs to find blackberries for a wedding celebration. She can't find any, so she crosses Bok Chitto, something she had been told never to do. When she crosses over, she sees a makeshift, open air, African American church hidden in the woods. While she watches the church service from behind the bushes, Little Mo and his father, both slaves, ask her if she’s Choctaw and crossed the Bok Chitto. When they confirm both, Little Mo’s father makes him take Martha Tom back home safely. Upon reaching the river, Martha actually shows Little Mo how to cross the river. Once on the other side, Little Mo is mesmerized by the music of the wedding ceremony, but Martha Tom’s mother will not let him stay. He returns to his side of the river. But the friendship between the children remains. When Little Mo’s mother is sold and the family will be separated, they flee across the Bok Chitto, so they can stay together. With the guards and their dogs blocking safe passage to the Choctaw side of the river, the reason their escape is successful is unpredictable and heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Both author and illustrator of this text are Native American. Tim Tingle is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Jeanne Rorex Bridges is of Cherokee ancestry. “For several years, [Bridges’ artwork:] has incorporated paintings depicting the shared history of Southeastern Indians and African Americans with her Native American work. The story of Crossing Bok Chitto was a perfect fit for her first book illustration.” The author’s notes at the end of the text explain the current state of the Choctaw Nation and Choctaw storytelling, which is steeped in oral tradition. But the author and illustrator both believe that the story “passed on by uncles and grandmothers, Crossing Bok Chitto, in this new format—of language and painting, this book way of telling—is for both the Indian and the non-Indian.” They continue, “We Indians need to continue recounting our past and, from this book, non-Indians might realize the sweet and secret fire that drives the Indian heart.” This book is their way of communicating that message to the world.
In considering the award criteria for the Jane Addams Peace Award, Crossing Bok Chitto “promotes the cause of peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races.” The African American slaves were aided in peace by the Choctaw Nation across the Bok Chitto. They received social justice by fleeing from the bonds of slavery to freedom on the reservation. The kindness of the Choctaw community and the risks they took to free African Americans promotes world community, a sense of social responsibility for one another. And when the slaves reached the other side of the Bok Chitto, they were as free as any other race; they were considered equals with the Choctaw and they earned the same freedom the stunned plantation owners possessed. I think the final line of prose from the author’s note communicates the Jane Addams mission most clearly, “We are determined that our way, shared by many of all races, a way of respect for others and the land we live on, will prevail.”
Recently, every time I read a book about slavery, whether it's a children's book or a novel, I learn something new. This was the case with Crossing Bok Chitto. Before the Civil War, the Choctaw Indians lived on one side of the Bok Chitto River, a river that cuts through the Mississippi. And plantation owners and slaves lived on the other. If slaves could cross Bok Chitto, onto the reservation, they were free. This premise sets the reader up for the events that follow. Martha Tom, a young Native American, needs to find blackberries for a wedding celebration. She can't find any, so she crosses Bok Chitto, something she had been told never to do. When she crosses over, she sees a makeshift, open air, African American church hidden in the woods. While she watches the church service from behind the bushes, Little Mo and his father, both slaves, ask her if she’s Choctaw and crossed the Bok Chitto. When they confirm both, Little Mo’s father makes him take Martha Tom back home safely. Upon reaching the river, Martha actually shows Little Mo how to cross the river. Once on the other side, Little Mo is mesmerized by the music of the wedding ceremony, but Martha Tom’s mother will not let him stay. He returns to his side of the river. But the friendship between the children remains. When Little Mo’s mother is sold and the family will be separated, they flee across the Bok Chitto, so they can stay together. With the guards and their dogs blocking safe passage to the Choctaw side of the river, the reason their escape is successful is unpredictable and heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Both author and illustrator of this text are Native American. Tim Tingle is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Jeanne Rorex Bridges is of Cherokee ancestry. “For several years, [Bridges’ artwork:] has incorporated paintings depicting the shared history of Southeastern Indians and African Americans with her Native American work. The story of Crossing Bok Chitto was a perfect fit for her first book illustration.” The author’s notes at the end of the text explain the current state of the Choctaw Nation and Choctaw storytelling, which is steeped in oral tradition. But the author and illustrator both believe that the story “passed on by uncles and grandmothers, Crossing Bok Chitto, in this new format—of language and painting, this book way of telling—is for both the Indian and the non-Indian.” They continue, “We Indians need to continue recounting our past and, from this book, non-Indians might realize the sweet and secret fire that drives the Indian heart.” This book is their way of communicating that message to the world.
In considering the award criteria for the Jane Addams Peace Award, Crossing Bok Chitto “promotes the cause of peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races.” The African American slaves were aided in peace by the Choctaw Nation across the Bok Chitto. They received social justice by fleeing from the bonds of slavery to freedom on the reservation. The kindness of the Choctaw community and the risks they took to free African Americans promotes world community, a sense of social responsibility for one another. And when the slaves reached the other side of the Bok Chitto, they were as free as any other race; they were considered equals with the Choctaw and they earned the same freedom the stunned plantation owners possessed. I think the final line of prose from the author’s note communicates the Jane Addams mission most clearly, “We are determined that our way, shared by many of all races, a way of respect for others and the land we live on, will prevail.”
April 27, 2015
Crossing Bok Chitto
Tim Tingle
In Mississippi, there is a river called Bok Chitto. It used to be a border that separated a tribe of Choctaw Indians from plantation owners and slaves. There was a law in place that stated that if a slave managed to cross the Bok Chitto river, the slave would be considered a free man (or woman). One day, a Choctaw girl named Martha Tom was told by her mother to collect berries in a basket. Martha Tom saw berries on the other side of the Bok Chitto river, so she crossed over on stones that were hidden just beneath the surface of the water. She ended up getting lost, but she found a gathering of black people who were singing about the promise land. They spotted her, and the old man who was leading everybody in song and prayer noted that she was Choctaw asked her what her name was. Martha Tom told the man, and he had his son, named Little Mo, take her back across the river. Little Mo was worried, but his father told him "move not too fast, not too slow, eyes to the ground, away you go" to avoid being seen by the plantation owners. Just as Little Mo's father had said, they were able to not be seen by the plantation owners. Little Mo crossed the river with Martha Tom, and they came across and Choctaw wedding ceremony where traditional songs and dances were taking place. When Martha Tom's mother found them, she told Martha Tom to take Little Mo back to the river so that he could go home safely. Martha Tom and Little Mo became friends and started crossing the river to see each other every week. One day, Little Mo's mother was sold to another plantation, but Little Mo's family decided to try to cross the Bok Chitto to freedom the night before she was supposed to leave. Little Mo could not see the stones underneath the water, but his father told him that his name was not Little Mo, but Moses, and that he would be able to get across to get help from the Choctaw tribe. Little Mo found Martha Tom's mother and told her what was happening, and she told him to tell his family to hide in the bushes while she gathered people to help. The planation guards and dogs were after Little Mo's family, but when they same the Choctaw Indians dressed in white, they looked like angels and the guards did nothing but watch. The Indians were all carrying candles to light the way, and Martha Tom was singing the song she heard on the slave side of the river, but she sang it in Choctaw, while she crossed the river on the rocks, which made her look like she was walking on the water. She led Little Mo's family across, and they looked like they were walking on water as well, so the guards continued to do nothing. Little Mo's family made it safely to their freedom.
The end of this book describes the author's familiarity with the Choctaw Indians, and what the Choctaw tribes are like today. This book had great illustrations depicting the different people as well as the surroundings and clothing worn by each. This book would be very useful in a classroom because it could be used in a lesson focusing on civil rights and Native Americans before African Americans had any freedom in America. This book would be the best for younger students, because they could learn the songs and guess what happens throughout the book based on the pictures before they even start reading the book in class.
December 3, 2013
Cutting though the Mississippi is a river called Bok Chitto. This river was a boundary between the Choctaws and the plantation owners along with their slaves. If a slave was able to escape and make their way across the Bok Chitto, the slave was to be considered free. A small Choctaw girl named Martha Tom understood the rules of the river, but one day she was feeling extra curious, so she went on a hunt for blackberries. Eventually, Martha found her way onto the other side of the river, despite her mother’s rules. She saw a black man and before she knew it, more people began appearing. One of the slaves from the plantation discovers Martha who was hiding and observing the slaves. The family was very friendly and welcoming to Martha, so they eventually became friends. Her friendship with the families’ youngest boy, Little Mo grows into a strong friendship. The help each other across the river and teach each other their customs. Martha visits them regularly and they teach each other a lot about their cultures. Unfortunately, Little Mo’s mother discovers that she has been sold into slavery and would be leaving the family. This news was devastating for Little Mo’s family, they have their last meal as a family and try their best to keep their spirits high. Little Mo decides that he knows a way for the family to always be together. The only way for them to be together and not sold would be to cross the Bok Chitto river. Luckily, Martha Tom taught Little Mo how to cross the river and even though it was night when his family snuck out, he was able to find the way. Little Mo hurried across the river and found Martha’s mother to explain the terrible situation at hand. She tells Little Mo that she will take care of everything, and that she would work fast. She gathers the women and tells them to put on their white dresses and to bring a candle for a crossing ceremony at the river. The slave guards were on Little Mo’s family’s trail, but out of the fog came the glow of candles. It looked like angles reaching out their hands to the runaway slaves, walking on water, and singing a Choctaw song. Martha reached out her hand to Little Mo and they embraced his family to help them across the river. Once they reached the Choctaw side, they blew out the candle and they disappeared into the fog. The white people tell the story of that night as, “the night their forefathers witnessed seven black spirits, walking on the water-to their freedom!”
One thing that I didn’t really like about this book was that the beginning of this story is a little confusing for someone who does not know very much about the Choctaw culture. There are a lot of cultural references in a very small portion of the book, which can be very overwhelming for the reader.
This book would be a good book to use in a classroom as an introduction into a unit about Native Americans.
One thing that I didn’t really like about this book was that the beginning of this story is a little confusing for someone who does not know very much about the Choctaw culture. There are a lot of cultural references in a very small portion of the book, which can be very overwhelming for the reader.
This book would be a good book to use in a classroom as an introduction into a unit about Native Americans.
February 27, 2018
"Crossing BOK Chitto" was a surprising, heartwarming and insightful historical fiction story of two friends living in different worlds. Taking place in Mississippi before the Trail of Tears, it tells the story of Martha Tom, a Choctaw girl, and an African American boy, Mo, whose forbidden friendship ends up being a source of hope in scary times. I love how this story is centered around the history of American Indians and African Americans and their strength in a time of unimaginable injustice and hardships. Reading "Crossing BOK Chitto" would help children develop their appreciation for cultures that are not as well represented in children's books, and would help them develop empathy as they relate to the universal, timeless theme of friendship and loyalty. It offers a wonderful opportunity for a class discussion surrounding family and friendship, culture, "forgotten" histories, American Indian communities today, and social injustices still prominent in our country. I think that this book could be appropriate to read to grades 2-5, because the teacher can go into as much or as little detail as is desired, though I would love to use this book as a "hook" to a large, more in-depth lesson involving culture, traditions, history, and social justice. I chose this as a WOW book because of its relatable, yet detailed and rich content.
December 29, 2017
Children would need a lot of historical background in order to understand this book (eg slavery in the American South), but once they get there, the narrative of helping others in need is clear. The author writes how this book started out as an oral story and the plot structure probably works a bit better when read out loud. I especially loved the mini-essay in the back about modern Choctaws.
October 18, 2020
A moving story about how a Choctaw Indian girl is able to save a family of slaves who live on the other side, using a secret invisible walkway made of stones in the river. From Choctaw Indian lore, and written by a renowned Native American storyteller, Tim Tingle. Beautiful, soft pictures by Cherokee illustrator, Jeanne Bridges.
December 18, 2017
I appreciate Tim Tingle's telling of a Choctaw story that's been told from generation to generation. Please do read the author's notes at the back of the book. It's a fascinating bit of history about the Choctaws and the slaves.
Great read-aloud for 4th grade and up.
Great read-aloud for 4th grade and up.
May 3, 2018
Excellent picture book! The emotionally nuanced illustrations pair beautifully with this heartwarming story about friendship, family and a brave Choctaw community who became like angels for an escaping slave family
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September 19, 2020A very beautifully illustrated story about the friendship and solidarity between a Choctaw girl and an enslaved boy that pays careful attention to black and indigenous music, narratives and culture.
June 16, 2020
My heart leaped when the tribe comes out in there robes to freak out the slaveowners. Maybe I should be too jaded to get excited by that, but I'm not.
A cool story about the interactions between slaves and Choctaws.
A cool story about the interactions between slaves and Choctaws.
November 7, 2019
It was okay just not interested in it
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