Native American Lit- CROSSING BOK CHITTO

Bibliographic Data

Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: a Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom. Ill. Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN: 9780938317777

Brief Plot Summary

The Bok Chitto is a river in Mississippi that once acted as a boundary between slave owner’s land and the land of the Choctaw. The law was that if slaves escaped to the other side they could not be retrieved. The young Martha Tom gets lost after crossing the Bok Chitto looking for blueberries her mother instructed her to retrieve. She comes to a clearing in which slaves congregate for church. She is awed by the music and ritual. When the attendees find her a father instructs his son, Little Mo to bring her back to the river. Martha Tom shows him the secret to crossing the river. He witnesses a Choctaw wedding and is also awed by the music and ritual. A friendship is born. When Little Mo’s mother is sold the whole family follows Little Mo across the river to the safety of the Choctaw people.

Critical Analysis

This is one of many of Tingle’s books of Choctaw stories. Readers can rest assured that he is indeed a member of the Choctaw Nation. He has an extensive background in storytelling and writing. Both the text and the illustrations include several cultural markers.

According to Smolen and Oswald one of the contemporary themes of Native American literature is selecting titles that highlight social justice issues (2011, p. 142). This tale raises a particular social justice issue. The Choctaw were known for helping slaves to freedom. It was dangerous, but they challenged it by doing the right thing.

The illustrator, Jeanne Rorex Bridges, is of Cherokee descent. She respectfully depicts the characters of this story. The Choctaw people appear in dignified stances displaying long black hair. Their skin tones range between a fawn brown to a darker brown. The women wear white ceremonial dresses during the wedding. One aspect I do question is that they all have nearly identical facial features. Martha Tom wears various pattern dress one of which ties in the back in a bow. She wears what appear to be tan moccasins that have a flap that fold down over the top. Choctaw men depicted in the art wear the same shoes or tall boots that fold down over the top. The men all have longer hair ranging in shoulder length to the middle of their backs. They wear pants and tunics of neutral tones.

The slaves’ skins tones are depicted as deep brown. Their hair appears shorter and curly. The facial features are of the same dimensions as the Choctaw. When Martha Tom and Little Mo are side by side the whites of his eyes look comparatively redder. Little Mo wears a tunic like top and drawstring pants. His father wears a black coat, a black hat, a button down shirt, drawstring pants, and laced shoes. Little Mo walks barefoot. The women Wear bright dresses in a variety of patterns. Ensembles often mix patterns and include sashes or shawls. Every woman wears a headscarf and also do not seem to look different from each other besides the patterns on their clothes. Little Mo’s mother wears hoop earrings.

The slave-owners’ skin tones are light in color. Their hair color varies from blonde to brown to black. Attire and activity lead readers to think that they lead a life of leisure and luxury. The women wear dresses with puffed shoulder and sleeves and their hair is tied back in a bun. The male wears a collarless button down tucked into gray pants that are tucked into black boots. They all sit on a porch drinking from cocktail glasses. The men who patrol wear similar attire to the other male, but also a hooded cape.

Instead of being a submissive mother, Martha Tom's mother is depicted as a strong and decisive woman. She speaks like anyone else's mom would speak these days. When Martha Tom returns after being lost her mother has her hands on her waist and scolds her, “You are in for it now!” She is also protective when Little Mo wakes her in the night. She touches the side of his face and knows exactly what to do.

There are two instances of fantastic occurrences. The first only appears to be magical. The Choctaw and Little Mo’s family appear to walk on water. The second is when Little Mo’s family walks as if they were invisible, but in the illustration they indeed were invisible.

Reader will enjoy the snippets of Choctaw language in this story. One is during the wedding ceremony that Little Mo witnesses. The other is when Martha Tom sings the song from the slave church in her native language, a melding of the two cultures.

Tingle concludes the book with information about the Choctaws. Readers will be enlightened to learn about the two nations of Choctaws. Tingle also includes a note on Choctaw storytelling. One fascinating note is that “Many Choctaws are likely to trust a story told to them by another Choctaw more than anything they read on the printed page.” This excerpt shows an interesting aspect of this culture’s oral tradition.

Smolen, Lynn Atkinson, and Ruth A. Oswald. 2011. Multicultural literature and response affirming diverse voices. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited.

Awards & Best Books

American Indian Youth Literature Award, 2008 Winner Picture Book United States

Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award, 2007 Winner United States

Best Children's Book, 2007 Winner United States

Friends of the Austin Public Library, 2007 Winner Best Children's Book United States

Oklahoma Book Award, 2007 Winner Children Oklahoma

Oklahoma Book Award, 2007 Winner Design and Illustration Oklahoma

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, 2007 Winner Grades 4-6 United States

Skipping Stones Honor Award, 2007 Winner Multicultural and International Awareness Books United States

Teddy Children's Book Award, 2006 Winner Short Work Texas

Best Children's Books of the Year, 2007 Bank Street College of Education

Booklist Book Review Stars , Apr. 15, 2006 American Library Association

Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, Supplement, 2007 H.W. Wilson

Notable Books for a Global Society, 2007 Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association

Notable Children's Books, 2007 ALSC American Library Association

Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, March 13, 2006 Cahners

Review Excerpt(s)

“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.”

- Jennifer Mattson (Booklist, Apr. 15, 2006 (Vol. 102, No. 16))

“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.”

- Midwest Book Review (Children's Bookwatch, July 2006)

“Bridges, a Cherokee artist making her children's book debut, joins Tingle (Walking the Choctaw Road\n) in a moving and wholly original story about the intersection of cultures.”

-Publishers Weekly

Connections

TeachingBooks presents a thorough lesson plan that includes cultural discussion questions based on grade level: http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2297/media/pdf/CincoPuntos/CrossingBokChitto_TG.pdf

One of the questions urges students to debunk Native American stereotypes by asking: In today’s world, does a real Indian: (a) Drive a car? (b) Go to college? (c) Shop at the mall? (d) Play Nintendo? (e) Ride a horse?