Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tail of Friendship and Freedom by Tim Tingle

Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom. Ill by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 0938317776

Summary
Martha Tom is a Choctaw girl living in Mississippi. Choctaw land is bordered by a river called Bok Chitto. On the other side of the river was where the plantation owners lived. Martha was sent to pick blackberries but she couldn't find any on the Choctaw side of the river. Even though she knew she shouldn't, Martha crossed the river on the hidden stone path that was just below the water. When Martha tried to go back home she got lost in the woods and stumbled upon a forbidden church service held by the slaves. One of the enslaved children, Little Mo is asked to show Martha home. When Little Mo takes her back to the river Martha shows him the stone path hidden below the water. Little Mo crosses with her and they become friends. Years later Little Mo finds out that his family is going to be split apart and his mother is going to be sold. He and his family decide to cross the river to the Choctaw side where they will be free.

Analysis
One major theme in this story is music. When Martha finds the church service and the people begin to sing, she is moved. "The old man began to preach and the people began to sing. Martha Tom had never heard music like this before, but it touched her deeply (Tingle 2006)."When Little Mo crosses Bok Chitto with Martha he is moved by the chanting of the wedding song. "Little Mo had never heard music like this before, but it touched him deeply." Both Little Mo and Martha hear music that is new and different but there is no distaste. Each of them appreciates and respects the music of the other culture.

Music also saves Little Mo. Martha liked the music she heard on the day she got lost so much that she returns every week to attend church with the African Americans. Martha translates it into Choctaw. When Mo and his family are escaping from the guards with their guns and dogs, Martha and other members of her tribe dress in white dresses and while singing the songs she learned, Martha and the other women guide Little Mo and his family across. The music and white dresses convinces the guards that they are seeing angels.

At the beginning of the book when Little Mo is going to show Martha the way back to the river, he worries about the plantation owners seeing him. His father tells him to act invisible so they won't be seen. "Well, it sounded like a fun game to play, so Little Mo took Martha Tom by the hand and off they went, just as Little Mo's daddy had taught him, not too fast, not too slow, eyes to the ground, away you go! (Tingle 2006)." The idea of blending into your surroundings made me think of a stereotype about Native Americans, that they are "one" with nature. Native Americans are often portrayed as being more in touch with nature than other ethnic groups and that idea is somewhat hackneyed. But this book avoids that because the idea doesn't come from a Native American, but from an enslaved African American. I also wonder if blending into the surroundings is a commentary on racism. Perhaps it refers to people being oblivious to others around them, especially if they are from another ethnic group.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful. The colors used are mostly muted shades of brown and green. The landscape and people are depicted realistically. The African Americans in the story are shown with dark brown skin, brown eyes and tightly curled hair. There is no exaggeration of features or clothing. The characters look as real people from that time might have looked. The Native Americans are shown with straight black hair, light brown skin and dark eyes. One of the most interesting illustrations in the book shows Martha and Little Mo as teenagers. They are standing side by side looking out at the reader. I was struck at how similar they looked. Then I realized it is the expression the artist painted on their faces, not the similarity of the faces. The illustrations in the book are very well done and complement the text very well.

Connections and Review Excerpts
This book could be used to learn about the historical relationship between Native Americans and African Americans. Fran Levin in Reading Teacher Magazine says, "This story chronicles the way in which the Choctaw people helped a family escape slavery using a secret river route. The compelling story coupled with the dignified illustrations make this book a great resource."

Jennifer Mattson in Book Links magazine suggests pairing this book with other stories that are cross-cultural and historical like Pink and Say by Patricia Polocco and The Long March by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick. Ms. Mattson also says, "In her first paintings for a picture book. Bridges conveys the humanity and resilience of both peoples in forceful acrylics, frequently centering on dignified figures standing erect before moody landscapes."

Cris Riedel in School Library Journal says, "The paintings are dark and solemn, and the artist has done a wonderful job of depicting all of the characters as individuals, with many of them looking out of the page right at readers. The layout is well designed for groups as the images are large and easily seen from a distance. There is a note on modern Choctaw culture, and one on the development of this particular work."
This story could be used as inspiration for painting portraits or landscapes.

This book won the American Indian Youth Literature Award in 2008.

Works Cited
Levin, Fran. 2007. "Encouraging Ethical Respect Through Multicultural Literature." Reading Teacher 61, no. 1: 101-104. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Mattson, Jennifer. 2006. "Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom." Book Links 16, no. 1: 7-8. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Riedel, Cris. 2006. "Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom." School Library Journal 52, no. 7: 88-88. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom. El Paso: Cinco Puntos Press.