Crossing Bok Chitto

Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle is a historical picture book set in Mississippi before the Civil War, telling the story of a friendship between Martha Tom, a Choctaw girl, and Little Mo, an enslaved Black boy on a neighboring plantation. When Little Mo’s family faces being sold away, the Choctaw community helps them cross the river to freedom in a tense, luminous nighttime journey. The lyrical text and evocative art make it a powerful read-aloud for elementary history units on slavery, Indigenous nations, and solidarity. Families appreciate that it centers courage, community, and hope while still acknowledging harsh realities.