How I Became a Ghost: A Choctaw Trail of Tears Story
Written by Tim Tingle

Summary:
A Choctaw boy tells the story of his tribe’s removal from the only land its people had ever known, and how their journey to Oklahoma led him to become a ghost–one with the ability to help those he left behind.

Primary Source Pairing:
It is hard to imagine the brutal realities from the Choctaw Trail of Tears. Use the map in the beginning of the book to give students some geographical knowledge of where the walking took place in 1830, and to follow along as the resilient story of Isaac unfolds.

Questions for Discussion:

• Describe what you see.
• What do you notice first?
• What size and shape is the map?
• What graphical elements do you see?
• What on the map looks strange or unfamiliar?
• Describe anything that looks like it does not belong on a map.
• What place or places does the map show?
• What, if any, words do you see?

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Map: American Indians In Children’s Literature