How I Became A Ghost: A Choctaw Trail Of Tears Story

How I Became A Ghost: A Choctaw Trail Of Tears Story by Tim Tingle 141 pages

Although the narrator, Isaac, is alive at the beginning of this story, as the title suggests, he dies before the end. He actually dies fairly early in the story, and continues to narrate for us. This is the story of his journey, with his family, along the Trail of Tears. Isaac discovers that he can see ghosts very near the beginning of the story and is aware that he will probably also become a ghost soon. Before he dies, he sets out to help a little girl who died on the trail and whose ghost he now sees to free her sister from the white men who are forcing them on the march. She is being used as a servant and stayed because she feared for her sister. Now that her sister is dead, she no longer needs worry about what the men might do, so Isaac, with help of another boy who can turn into a panther, and the young ghost girl set out to help her. Even after he dies, he continues to lead the small group of children in the girl’s rescue. A short but powerful tale, I liked this story and would recommend it to most third to fifth grade age children. This is the first of a trilogy, so fans can expect more to come.