Crossing Bok Chitto - Tim Tingle, Jeanne Rorex Bridges

Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle, Jeanne Rorex Bridges
After reading Debbie Reese's review of Tingle's Saltypie a few weeks ago, I wanted to read it. Since it wasn't out yet I decided to check out one of Tingle's other books. I am very happy I sort out this wonderful story.

Many Native Americans helped slaves find their way to freedom. Bok Chitto is a river that cuts through Mississippi. On one side of the river the Choctaws people lived, the plantation were on the other side.

Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl comes across a sercet slave church, while getting blackberries for her mother.

"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. Then something else touched her - on the shoulder. She looked up to see the biggest man she had ever seen, his chest so big it was about to pop his buttons off his shirt! " You're lost, little girl?" he said in a deep voice that seemed to smile. "You're Choctaw, from across Bok Chitto? Martha Tom nodded."

The preacher gets his son Little Mo to take Martha Tom back to the river. The two become very good friends. Little Mo's mother is sold to the auction block. The family runs toward freedom and gets there thanks to the Choctaw people.

Tingle's has written a very entertaining and informative story. Bridges illustrations are beautiful.
Professional reviews and Honors via the publisher's site

Saltypie is scheduled to be released on May 1st. Another Cinco Puntos Press title, I am looking forward to is Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush by Luis Alberto Urrea

Good Fortune Noni Carter

Good Fortune by Noni Carter

I always have to mentally prepare myself for a novel set during slavery, especially one that's almost 500 pages. So Good Fortune sat unread for awhile. The other day, I was finally ready. I am glad that I made time for this book ecause there is a very good story inside.

14 yr old Sarah was four when she's kidnapped into slavery. Than her name was Ayanna. Now its 1821 Sarah is a slave in Tennessee. At night she dreams of her family and freedom. Mary, a slave who works in the house becomes Sarah's new mother. Mary's son Daniel her new brother.

Sarah splits her time between working the cotton fields and caring for the two small children in the house. When the children play school, Sarah uses the oppurtunity to educate herself. Sarah is determined to learn to read and write no matter the risk.

When Sarah learns that Daniel and a few of his friends are planning to escape, she wants to go. One of the master's sons Jeffrey has his eye on Sarah. She wants to leave before he can put his hands on her.

Sarah has feelings for John, Daniel's friend. John feels the same way. Their relationship is fragile and dangerous thanks to Jeffrey.

Good Fortune is 470 pages, and reads like a novel half its size. Sometimes long novels jump too far ahead in the story and I've feel as if I've missed something. Other times they don't seem to move at all and the story seems to drag. Good Fortune doesn't fall into either one of those categories. I loved the paced. Carter's writing is very good. Sarah's voice is clear and strong throughout.

One of the things that stood out for me in this novel is the research that went into it. If a young reader had never read a novel about slavery, Good Fortune would be the second one I gave them right after To Be A Slave by Julius Lester. ages 11up read an excerpt