How I Became A Ghost

A10-year-old Choctaw boy recounts the beginnings of the forced resettlement of his people from their Mississippi-area homelands in 1830.

He begins his story with a compelling hook: “Maybe you have never read a book written by a ghost before. I am a ghost. I am not a ghost when this book begins, so you have to pay very close attention.” Readers meet Isaac, his family and their dog, Jumper, on the day that Treaty Talk changes everything. Even as the Choctaw prepare to leave their homes, Isaac begins to have unsettling visions: Some elders are engulfed in flames, and others are covered in oozing pustules. As Isaac and his family set out on the Choctaw Trail of Tears, these visions begin to come true, as some are burned to death by the show more Nahullos and others perish due to smallpox-infested blankets distributed on the trail. But the Choctaw barrier between life and death is a fluid one, and ghosts follow Isaac, providing reassurance and advice that allow him to help his family and others as well as to prepare for his own impending death. Storyteller Tingle’s tale unfolds in Isaac’s conversational voice; readers “hear” his story with comforting clarity and are plunged into the Choctaw belief system, so they can begin to understand it from the inside out.

The beginning of a trilogy, this tale is valuable for both its recounting of a historical tragedy and its immersive Choctaw perspective . (Historical fiction. 8-12)

-Kirkus Review show less

"A 10-year-old Choctaw boy recounts the beginnings of the forced resettlement of his people from their Mississippi-area homelands in 1830.

He begins his story with a compelling hook: “Maybe you have never read a book written by a ghost before. I am a ghost. I am not a ghost when this book begins, so you have to pay very close attention.” Readers meet Isaac, his family and their dog, Jumper, on the day that Treaty Talk changes everything. Even as the Choctaw prepare to leave their homes, Isaac begins to have unsettling visions: Some elders are engulfed in flames, and others are covered in oozing pustules. As Isaac and his family set out on the Choctaw Trail of Tears, these visions begin to come true, as some are burned to death by the show more Nahullos and others perish due to smallpox-infested blankets distributed on the trail. But the Choctaw barrier between life and death is a fluid one, and ghosts follow Isaac, providing reassurance and advice that allow him to help his family and others as well as to prepare for his own impending death. Storyteller Tingle’s tale unfolds in Isaac’s conversational voice; readers “hear” his story with comforting clarity and are plunged into the Choctaw belief system, so they can begin to understand it from the inside out.

The beginning of a trilogy, this tale is valuable for both its recounting of a historical tragedy and its immersive Choctaw perspective . (Historical fiction. 8-12)" A Kirkus Starred Review, www.kirkusreviews.com show less

What's remarkable about this book is that it isn't a neverending sobfest, despite the very eloquent description of the horrors of the Trail of Tears and the genocidal removal of Choctaw tribal members from their lands. While it certainly isn't cheerful (despite some brilliant levity here and there), it is a story that is filled with dignity, integrity, honor and a sense of connection to tribal ancestors and those lost on the journey.

Tim Tingle’s How I Became a Ghost is an incredible story that is as enjoyable as it is powerful. This story recounts a young boy’s journey from their Choctaw nation in Mississippi along the Trail of Tears, and the many deaths along the way. The point of view and perspective that comes through Isaac’s eyes made the story more emotional, suspenseful, and impactful.
How I Became a Ghost is the story of Isaac, and is told to us through his voice. As he and the family and friends he meets push onward from their home on a journey that leads to nothing but forced despair and death, we are shown the power of resilience. Isaac may die and become a “ghost,” but he still helps Joseph and Naomi persevere. The story being told through show more ten-year-old Isaac’s perspective makes the historical event even more heartbreaking and the journey more intense. If the story had been written from an omniscient narrator the events would be more detached. Likewise, a narrator that was older would be more serious and reflective of what was happening. Isaac’s innocence makes the story more potent and gives a proper weight to the Trail of Tears. The ghost that he becomes and the ghosts he encounters helping Joseph and Naomi is also more powerful coming from Isaac who, though dead, is attempting to do everything he can to help his friends and family persist. How I Became a Ghost focuses on perseverance and persistence in the face of danger and struggles. show less

I really liked the book for two main reasons. I really enjoyed the plot of the story, because it was something I could relate too since I am Native American. But I also like how the plot was organized and full of suspense. I never know what was going to happen and it made me want to keep reading. I liked how the book was not predictable at all, I was always in shock when the next big thing happened. I loved how the main character Isaac, could predict what was going to happen in the future. Although, it was a little confusing when reading, once I understood it made a lot more sense. Also, I really liked the book because it pushes readers to think about tough issues and broadens perspectives. Since I am Native American, I understand what show more the author wrote about and how the tribe stuck together. But for someone who is not Native American, it would be a really good read to show the closeness of a tribe. For example, when Isaac went to free Naomi, this was a good example of how close the people in the tribe were. I thought this book showed a really good perspective of what it would be like to belong to a tribe. I think that the message of this story is that your family will always be there for you. Although the people in the tribe are not all blood related, they are basically a family; and they did a lot for each other. And they will continue to help one another when they need it. show less

This story starts with Isaac, who has a premonition that he will die and become a ghost. He sees premonitions of the deaths of other members of his tribe as well, as they prepare to leave their ancestral lands and travel west on what will become known as the Trail of Tears. Isaac learns that the soldiers escorting them have taken the daughter of a Choctaw family as a servant, and he begins to make plans with another young man, Joseph, to free her. Isaac's prophecy comes true before the boys can affect a rescue, but Isaac's spirit lingers and provides assistance to Joseph as they rescue the Choctaw girl. Given an opportunity to kill the soldier's commander, the Choctaws spare him instead, saying it wouldn't be right to kill him. In show more return, he returns stolen supplies to the Choctaw and appears resolved to treat them better while under his care. An interesting story that manages to be framed around a historical injustice without allowing that setting to overshadow the entire story. show less

Title: How I Became a Ghost
- Author: Tim Tingle
- Publisher: Roadrunner Press
- Date: 2013 (year published), January 26, 2022 (date read)
- Pages: 154
- Type of Book/Genre: Novel, Historical Fiction
- Short Summary of the Main Plot: This novel is a historical fiction about the Trail of Tears, and family that is walking it. The main character is Isaac, and he lets the reader know he is going to becoming a ghost soon. There is word that there is Treaty Talk, and they are going to have to leave their home. Isaac and his mom go around saying goodbye to their home and he begins to see how people in his community are going to die, by fire and smallpox. Unfortunately, their homes get burned down in order to get the Choctaw people out, so they show more retreat to the swamp for several days. Soldiers come to their camp and give them blankets that have the smallpox virus on them, thankfully Isaac’s mother senses something is wrong, so she prevents her family from grabbing blankets from the soldiers. Within days, everyone that grabbed a blanket are suffering and dead. They venture off to join on the walk to a new home, the Trail of Tears. There they meet Gabe, Ruth, and Nita. Nita asks Isaac to be her big brother, and of course he says yes. They go through many hardships with the freezing weather, and Isaac hurts his feet. Later, Nita dies, and her ghost tells Isaac that she has a sister, and if he can find her that it will make her family happy again. Gabe shares that she was taken by soldiers, and they threatened to kill their other daughter Nita so they never went after her. However, now that Nita is dead, they are ready to find her (her name is Naomi). Isaac also shares with everyone that he will be a ghost soon, and that he sees ghosts. He and his friend Joseph set out to find Nita, they later find out that she is being used as a servant to the soldiers and they made her look like a boy. They devise a plan with the help of the ghosts and the Choctaw Council. During this journey, Isaac dies, attacked by a wolf. Jospeh turns into a panther in attempt to save him but it is too late. He carries on the journey to save Naomi without Isaac physically with him, but he is with him in spirt guiding him. Joseph is able to hide Naomi with the bone pickers, but the leader and the rest of the soldiers are furious and try to hunt her down. They eventually weed her out of the bone picker’s wagon with fire, and as they try to escape the Leader gets hurt. A wolf then leaps to attack him but Naomi realizes it is not the Choctaw way to let the Leader die like that, so Joseph turns into a panther again and saves him. Later Naomi and Joseph help with the cooking, and are surrounded by their family/extended families. Then the story ends, with the trail still laying before them.
- Tags/Subject Headings that Describe the Content: Native American History, Trail of Tears, ghosts, friendship, love, family, hardship.
- My Response: I was completely captivated by the book the entire time that I read it, I finished it in one sitting. The imagery and story line tugged at my heart strings; I can see myself re-reading this book for many years to come. show less