Tim Tingle facts for kids

Tim Tingle is a talented author and storyteller. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and has written many books. His stories often share important parts of Native American history and culture.

Tim Tingle's Early Life

Tim Tingle grew up near Houston, Texas, on the Gulf Coast. He is an Oklahoma Choctaw, which means his family is part of the Choctaw Nation. His family has a strong connection to their heritage.

Family History and Stories

Tim's great-great-grandfather, John Carnes, was part of the Trail of Tears in 1835. This was a very difficult time when many Native Americans were forced to move from their homes. Tim's grandmother also attended Native American boarding schools in the early 1900s. To keep their culture alive, Tim's family shared stories about their history and the challenges Native Americans faced. These stories helped shape Tim's passion for writing.

Education and Learning

Tim Tingle studied English at two different universities. He earned his first degree from the University of Texas. Later, he received a master's degree in English Literature from the University of Oklahoma in 2003. During his master's studies, he focused on Native American literature and history.

Tim Tingle's Career as a Storyteller and Author

Tim Tingle is well-known for his storytelling. He started telling stories when he visited his son's school. Since then, he has become a popular storyteller at festivals across the country.

Storytelling Performances

Tim has performed at many important events. He was a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival in 2002. In 2011, he spoke at the Library of Congress, a very famous library in the United States. He was also a featured author and speaker at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. in 2014.

Tim has even traveled to Germany to share his experiences as a Choctaw Native American. He did more than ten speaking tours there for the US Department of Defense, teaching children and military families. He also spoke at the Native American wing of the Smithsonian Institution in 2006 and 2007.

His Books and Awards

Tim Tingle's first book, Walking the Choctaw Road, was recognized as the Best Anthology of 2003 by Storytelling World Magazine. He has won many awards for his books, especially those written for young people. His work is often included in collections that promote diverse voices in literature. For example, a story by Tim Tingle is in Flying Lessons, a book edited by Ellen Oh for the We Need Diverse Books movement.

Selected Books by Tim Tingle

Tim Tingle has written many books, including collections of stories and standalone novels.

Story Collections

• Walking the Choctaw Road (2003)
• Texas Ghost Stories (2004)
• Spooky Texas Tales (2005)
• Spirits Dark and Light: Supernatural Tales from the Five Civilized Tribes (2006)
• More Spooky Texas Tales (2010)
• Flying Lessons and Other Stories (2017)

Standalone Stories

• Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom (2008)
• Saltypie (2010)
• When Turtle Grew Feathers (2013)
• House of Purple Cedar (2014)
• How I Became a Ghost (2015)
• When a Ghost Talks, Listen (2018)
• Stone River Crossing (2019)

Book Series

Tim Tingle has also written several book series.

The Danny Blackgoat Series

• Danny Blackgoat, Navajo Prisoner (2013)
• Danny Blackgoat, Rugged Road to Freedom (2014)

The No Name Series

• No Name (2014)
• No More No Name (2017)
• A Name Earned (2018)
• Trust Your Name (2018)
• Name Your Mountain (2020)

Awards and Recognitions

Tim Tingle has received many honors for his writing and storytelling.

• 2018 Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award: This award recognized his long and important career.
• For Spirits Dark and Light: He won a third-place IndieFab Award in 2006.
• For Crossing Bok Chitto: This book was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association in 2007.
• For How I Became a Ghost: This book won the American Indian Youth Literature Award for Middle School in both 2013 and 2014.
• For House of Purple Cedar: It won the American Indian Youth Literature Award for Young Adult in 2016.
• For Danny Blackgoat, Navajo Prisoner: This book was an Honor Book for the American Indian Youth Literature Award in 2013 and 2014. It also won a bronze medal at the Independent Publisher Book Award in 2014.