| Title | : | Goin Someplace Special |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0689818858 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780689818851 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 40 |
| Publication | : | First published September 1, 2001 |
| Awards | : | Coretta Scott King Book Award Illustrator (2002), California Young Readers Medal Picture Books for Older Readers (2004) |
Goin Someplace Special Reviews
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'Tricia Ann is going to her favorite place in the world today. It's the first time she's been allowed to go there all by herself. In a lovely dress that looks like spring, she leaves the house. Her grandmother cautions her to "hold yo' head up and act like you b'long to somebody."
But holding her head up is awfully hard to do when everywhere 'Tricia Ann goes she see and hears things that seem determined to keep her down. COLORED SECTION reads the sign on the bus. A hotel manager shoos her away. "No colored people allowed," he says. Even the park bench reads FOR WHITES ONLY.
Luckily, 'Tricia Ann also meets some kind people - neighbors, friends, and strangers - along the way. "Don't let those signs steal yo' happiness," says one man. And, before long, she's arrived at her Special Place, , where's she's greeted by a sign that says:
McKissack based this book on events from her own childhood spent growing up in Nashville, Tennessee. Though most of the city was heavily segregated in the late 1950s, Nashville's This is a lovely book, despite the fact that it highlights a sad part of our nation's history.
Jerry Pinkney's watercolors are a perfect compliment.
"Reading is the doorway to freedom." -
I'm pretty much in love with this book, all starry-eyed when I finished reading it, feeling all happy and alive whenever I think about it.
This is the story of young 'Tricia growing up in the segregated South of the 1960s. One day, wearing a pretty new dress and feeling brave and joyful, 'Tricia asks her grandma if she can go to Someplace Special that day, all by herself. Grandma hesitates at first, but then holds on to the faith she has in her granddaughter and lets her go, reminding her to always keep her head up and remember that she is someone special. At first, 'Tricia is thrilled to be out by herself but soon the Jim Crow Laws rear up ugly and begin to divide her happiness. Some of her friends around town encourage 'Tricia to keep her smile and not to let those things get her down, but one injustice after another soon becomes too much for 'Tricia and she wonders if goin' Someplace Special is really worth it.
We learn in the Author's Note at the end that this story is based on Patricia McKissack's own girlhood experiences. The Note is wonderful and really brought some aspects of segregation into a new light for me. For example, McKissack talks about how many families had long internal debates on when was the appropriate time to let their children experience the world beyond their own black communities. That is, when did they want to introduce their children to segregation? And, in 'Tricia's case, when to let them face it alone, with only the memory of their wisdom to guide them rather than their actual helping hand. In my own ignorance, I never thought about children in that time being shielded from segregation--I thought it was just part of everyday life that they always lived with. It adds a deeper poignancy to the issue to think that parents actually had to choose when to expose their children to something so ugly.
However, ultimately, this story is one of personal strength, the importance of friendship (especially when one is facing troubles), and beauty in reaching something beloved, something that is bigger and more important than the ugly things standing in the way. I won't spoil the surprise but I don't think it is giving too much away to say that 'Tricia perseveres and that Someplace Special helped shape her into the person and writer she is today. -
Patricia Polacco is another Patricia/Tricia who writes books based on/about events that took place during her childhood whose stories can make me cry.
The title says it all: This is a special book.
The illustrations are wonderful, my favorite of those I’ve seen by
Jerry Pinkney. I particularly love the way ‘Tricia’s dress is so brightly colored compared to the rest of the pictures’ contents.
The story is told in such an engaging way. It’s perfect for independent readers and reading aloud for one child or for a group. ‘Tricia’s journey to go someplace special, from her asking to go all the way until she arrives, and then further explanation in the non-fiction author’s note at the end, deeply moved me.
I don’t usually think of libraries when I think of Jim Crow laws. I think of busses and water fountains and benches and movie theaters and restaurants and swimming pools, many of which ‘Tricia passes on her way to her special place. I’m gratified to find out that the Nashville public library board of directors was a bit more forward thinking than many others, although horrified to have it brought home that libraries were once part of the outrageous discrimination that went on.
I do wish the book had continued and readers had been privy to see ‘Tricia in her special place. But, imagination works well for me too. This is a wonderful book! -
Goin’ Someplace Special, by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney brings a human face and human feelings to the effects of Jim Crow laws in the American South during the late 1950’s. We really feel Tricia Ann’s pain, embarrassment and frustration as her short journey to ‘someplace special” causes her multiple confrontations with Jim Crow laws.
I was so glad that Tricia Ann’s “someplace special” was the library. I wanted to send a thank you note to the Nashville Public Library Board of Directors to thank them for their predecessors’ wisdom in the late 1950’s to have allowed the library to be integrated when so much of the rest of society in the south was fiercely segregated. -
Taking place during the 1950’s in a southern town, Tricia Ann, a young African American girl, thinks that the most special place in the world is the library. Tricia has a love for the library because it’s a special place that she is welcome in, no matter what color her skin is. However, Tricia is not able to go to her special place at the beginning of the story until she is able to convince her grandmother that she is mature enough and truly ready to go off on her own. Through Tricia’s journey to the library she is confronted with many social injustices that took place during this time. While traveling on the bus, she is forced to sit in her appropriate colored section, and when wanting to rest from her journey is finds that she can not sit on the whites only bench. Tricia because very frustrated with her challenges and wants to give up. However, in a church garden she meets an older woman who reminds Tricia that she is a person and deserves her freedom. Tricia realized that the woman is correct when she finally reaches the Public Library, where all are welcome!
This moving story plants a very clear picture of how a young child would feel during this time period. The experiences that this young girl went through represent major historical events in a non preaching way. Not only does this book represent the challenges that colored people faced when wanting to be free, but it shows how many children feel that they are ready to be independent and have to face new situations. This is a fantastic story to read to children to discuss how important it is to never give up and fight for what you believe in. I was extremely touched when Tricia found the Public Library. It really made me stop and think about the word public and what that represents to a community. -
This book captures a day in the life of a young african american girl, Tricia Ann, who encounters racism daily in her life. She is beginning to feel the frustrations of the world's prejudice around her and persists in trying to not let it ruin her day. All she wants is to "go someplace special" but instead laws and signs tell her she is not worthy of "someplace special"to meet a celebrity and finds herself outcast from the even instead. Finally, at the end of the story Tricia Ann finds her "someplace special" the public library, where all are welcome. A wonderful message to send to the readers.
I particularly enjoyed the mixed media drawings included in this book. The illustrator really did a nice job of making the books have a older look about them to match the historical fiction genre by painting on newspaper. This book does a nice job introducing the feelings of a young girl going through a very real time in history. It's nice because there is not quite a happy ending, but there is hope. As children read this book they can learn how to treat others and take a lesson from the past by looking at racism from the perspective of someone who was direclty hurt by it. -
A poignant tale from author Patricia McKissack's childhood, Goin' Someplace Special is a record of a time of great injustice, when racial segregation was a fact of life in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee; but it is also a tribute to the resilience and courage of those effected by that injustice, and a pean to the hope offered by that special "someplace" mentioned in the title. Setting out on her own, for the very first time, young 'Tricia Ann makes her way through Nashville, encountering both hostility and help from those around her, as she makes her way to the one desegregated place in town, where all are welcome on equal terms: the public library.
I was quite interested to learn, from McKissack's afterward, that Nashville's public library board had voted to integrate all their facilities in the late 1950s, before any outside force or law compelled them to. Having just recently read another tale concerning segregation and the library -
Ron's Big Mission tells the story of astronaut Ron McNair's determination to gain a library card of his own as a child, in his segregated South Carolina town, where African-Americans weren't allowed to officially use the library - I found the parallels fascinating! Any books which speaks to the power for good of the public library, its role as a refuge in troubled times, is pretty much guaranteed to be OK in my book, but 'Tricia Ann's tale is even more appealing, in that it also opens a window into a troubling aspect of our history, and highlights how family love, and friendship, helped people to survive that time. Highly recommended, to all young library lovers, and to anyone searching for children's stories that can be used to introduce children to the realities of segregation. -
Everyone has a place that makes them feel safe and welcome, and Tricia Ann wants to go to her special place alone for the very first time. First she must convince her grandmother that she is old enough to travel to this place alone. She starts her journey and reflects on how unfair the Jim Crow laws are. When she accidently follows a group of people into a hotel, and promptly gets kicked out Tricia Ann almost turns around. However with the guidance of an elderly woman, she remembers that nobody can keep her down. Tricia Ann stops at several places, and talks to friends along the way. The reader is made to believe that each of these places might be her special place. When she finally makes it to her someplace special,the public library, we see that it is because there everyone is treated the same.
This wonderful story set in the 1950s shows the struggle of a young girl to overcome the unfairness of the Jim Crow laws. I love how the author makes you believe that each place she arrives is her special place. Through the illustrations we can see that in each of these places there is a sign segregating people. It is not until Tricia Ann arrives at the public library that we see why this is her most special place. The beautiful illustrations are highlighted by using muted colors with the exception of Tricia Ann, providing symbolism for what the library represented to this young girl. -
Goin' Someplace special by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrator Jerry Pinkney bring home a storybook with a rich story, beautiful illustrations and a historical reference point for kids, mine especially had little idea about what the Jim Crowe segregation laws in the South might have felt like to a girl their age back in the '50's. A 12 yr old girl named Tricia Ann is taking a trip to "Someplace Special" all by herself in a downtown southern town. She needs to ride the bus to get there and encounters all sorts of prejudice on her way to "sompelace special"- armed with encouraging words from her Grandmother that "No matter what, Hold yo' head up and act like you b'long to somebody," she finally makes it to her destination and is glad that she did. This book was a Coretta Scott King Winner, deservedly so, I believe this book is to storybooks what "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett is to novels- a fictional account of segregation that packs an important message- we don't ever want to go back here. I would recommend this book for young school aged children- I think it would go over the head of a pre-schooler.
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This is the story of 'Tricia Ann's quest to visit a place that she and her grandmother refer to as Someplace Special. On her journey, which this time she is taking alone, she experiences the unfairness of segretation, which almost makes her turn back home. But, along the way, she encounters friends that remind her that she is somebody, which gives her the strength to keep going.
This book is loaded with rich illustrations that help place the reader in 'Tricia Ann's world. It is appropriate for grades 2 through 5, and could be used to address issues of segregation at a primary level. -
Loved this picture book! Goin' Someplace Special tells the story of 'Tricia Ann and is set in the south during the 1950s. McKissack did a wonderful job of setting the story, including historical facts, and Pinkney's illustrations were fantastic in helping to set the story. The big mystery is figuring out where "Someplace Special" is, and it so much better than I could have imagined. Very symbolic location! This will be a great picture book for teaching historical fiction writing.
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I do like books where the author tells a personal story! Plus Tricia Ann's turquoise and yellow dress is slightly brighter than everything else on the page, making us realize that all those Jim Crow laws along the way are not as important as her special destination and they aren't going to bring her down.
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Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. It's disgusting to think that Jim Crow laws discouraged black children from going to the public library!!
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A lovely story about the unfairness of Jim Crow and the freedom that the public library represented during that time.
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Parents need to know that this book speaks clearly to kids about the pride of growing up, the fear and sadness of facing prejudice, and the comfort of finding safe, special places in this world, like libraries.
Positive messages
Grandmother teaches her granddaughter that she is "somebody" no matter how unfairly other people treat her. Another older woman helps her in the garden when she is feeling overwhelmed by discrimination. When she reads signs that tell her to sit in back, or not to sit at all, older people tell her that those signs can tell her where to sit but not what to think.
Violence & scariness
Not applicable
Language
Not applicable
This is from commonsensemedia.org
Booklist starred August 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 22)
Ages 5-8. Tricia Ann excitedly gets her grandmother's permission to go out by herself to "Someplace Special"--a place far enough away to take the bus and to have to walk a bit. But this isn't just any trip. Tricia's trip takes place in the segregated South of the 1950s. That means Tricia faces sitting at the back of the bus, not being allowed to sit on a whites-only park bench, and being escorted out of a hotel lobby. She almost gives up, but a local woman who some say is "addled,"but whom Tricia Ann knows to be gentle and wise, shows her how to listen to the voice inside herself that allows her to go on. She arrives at her special destination--the public library, whose sign reads "All Are Welcome."Pinkney's watercolor paintings are lush and sprawling as they evoke southern city streets and sidewalks as well as Tricia Ann's inner glow. In an author's note, McKissack lays out the autobiographical roots of the story and what she faced as a child growing up in Nashville. This book carries a strong message of pride and self-confidence as well as a pointed history lesson. It is also a beautiful tribute to the libraries that were ahead of their time.
Horn Book Guide starred Spring, 2002
This is the story of a child facing a difficult time sustained by the support of the adults in her life. Going alone for the first time, 'Tricia Ann is off to Someplace Special--the public library where "All Are Welcome." The journey isn't easy: she must face the indignities of life in the Jim Crow South. The text and art strike just the right balance: informative without being preachy; hopeful without being sentimental.
Horn Book Magazine November/December, 2001
Young 'Tricia Ann is off to Someplace Special-and about to "burst with excitement" because her grandmother is letting her go there alone for the very first time. The journey is not an easy one: she must face the indignities of life in the Jim Crow South. She has to sit behind the sign on the bus that says "COLORED SECTION." She is not allowed to sit in the park by the Peace Fountain her stonemason grandfather helped build. She visits her friend the doorman at the elegant Southland Hotel and is asked to leave. "What makes you think you can come inside? No colored people are allowed!" the manager says. Despite these humiliations, 'Tricia Ann is strengthened at every turn by people who care about her and who bolster her with reminders to "Carry yo'self proud" and "Don't let those signs steal yo' happiness." Soon she reaches her beloved Someplace Special-the public library. The words carved in stone proclaim: "Public Library: All Are Welcome." Jerry Pinkney's illustrations place 'Tricia Ann at the center of each page, willing to face the challenges the outside world throws at her. Whether 'Tricia Ann is in her grandmother's kitchen (surrounded by bountiful fresh fruits and vegetables and the love they symbolize) or fearfully looking over her shoulder on the bus, Pinkney makes it clear that she will triumph. Though this story takes place in an unnamed Southern city, the helpful author's note states that McKissack was raised in Nashville, where, unlike many other Southern cities of the 1950s, the public libraries welcomed African Americans. The library pictured on the final pages, bathed in hopeful lemon sunshine, is the downtown library of 1950s Nashville. There are many books about a child's first trip alone, and many books about racism and the struggle for civil rights, but this book is about more than either: it is the story of a child facing a difficult time sustained by the support of the adults in her life. McKissack and Pinkney strike just the right balance in a picture book for young readers and listeners: informative without being preachy; hopeful without being sentimental.
Kirkus Reviews September 15, 2001
In a story that will endear itself to children's librarians and, for that matter, all library lovers, 'Tricia Ann begs her grandmother to be allowed to go alone to Someplace Special. Mama Frances acquiesces, sending her off with instructions: " 'And no matter what, hold yo' head up and act like you b'long to somebody.' " 'Tricia Ann's special place is not revealed until the end, but on the way there, the humiliating racism she encounters on the city bus, in the park, and in a downtown hotel almost causes her to give up. " 'Getting to Someplace Special isn't worth it,' she sobbed." When she recalls her grandmother's words: " 'You are somebody, a human being-no better, no worse than anybody else in this world,' " she regains the determination to continue her journey, in spite of blatant segregation and harsh Jim Crow laws. " Public Library: All Are Welcome" reads the sign above the front door of Someplace Special; Mama Frances calls it "a doorway to freedom." Every plot element contributes to the theme, leaving McKissack's autobiographical work open to charges of didacticism. But no one can argue with its main themes: segregation is bad, learning and libraries are good. Pinkney's trademark watercolors teem with realistically drawn people, lush city scenes, and a spunky main character whose turquoise dress, enlivened with yellow flowers and trim, jumps out of every picture. A lengthy author's endnote fills in the background for adults on McKissack's childhood experiences with the Nashville Public Library. This library quietly integrated all of its facilities in the late 1950s, and provided her with the story's inspiration. A natural for group sharing; leave plenty of time for the questions and discussion that are sure to follow. "(Picture book. 5-9)"
Library Talk March/April 2002
Pinkney's characteristic, pastel watercolors place this story long ago. 'Tricia Ann is excited about the prospect of going someplace special without her grandmother, until she loses her way in a throng of folks who push her into a hotel lobby where "colored people" aren't allowed. References to seats at the back of the bus and a "Jim Crow sign" indicating the "colored section," as well as a bench labeled "for whites only," will require explanation for children. The special place named in the title is the public library, where "all are welcome." (The drawings of stone blocks and columns on the endpapers suggest Andrew Carnegie's libraries.) McKissack concludes her story with information about her childhood in Nashville, Tennessee, and the importance of the love, respect, and pride that fortified her and enabled her, as they do 'Tricia Ann, to face racial bigotry and discrimination. This book would be useful for discussions of daily life and instances of injustice in the 1950s, civil rights, and the importance of free access to information and recreational reading. As such, it would be a wonderful addition to library and school collections. Recommended. Ann Bryan Nelson, Director of Christian Education, Presbyterian Church and Center for Children, Marshall, Michigan
Publishers Weekly August 6, 2001
McKissack draws from her childhood in Nashville for this instructive picture book. "I don't know if I'm ready to turn you loose in the world," Mama Frances tells her granddaughter when she asks if she can go by herself to "Someplace Special" (the destination remains unidentified until the end of the story). 'Tricia Ann does obtain permission, and begins a bittersweet journey downtown, her pride battered by the indignities of Jim Crow laws. She's ejected from a hotel lobby and snubbed as she walks by a movie theater ("Colored people can't come in the front door," she hears a girl explaining to her brother. "They got to go 'round back and sit up in the Buzzard's Roost"). She almost gives up, but, buoyed by the encouragement of adult acquaintances ("Carry yo'self proud," one of her grandmother's friends tells her from the Colored section on the bus), she finally arrives at Someplace Special a place Mama Frances calls "a doorway to freedom" the public library. An afterword explains McKissack's connection to the tale, and by putting such a personal face on segregation she makes its injustices painfully real for her audience. Pinkney's (previously paired with McKissack for Mirandy and Brother Wind) luminescent watercolors evoke the '50s, from fashions to finned cars, and he captures every ounce of 'Tricia Ann's eagerness, humiliation and quiet triumph at the end. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
School Library Journal September 1, 2001
Gr 3-5-'Tricia Ann's first solo trip out of her neighborhood reveals the segregation of 1950s' Nashville and the pride a young African-American girl takes in her heritage and her sense of self-worth. In an eye-opening journey, McKissack takes the child through an experience based upon her own personal history and the multiple indignities of the period. She experiences a city bus ride and segregated parks, restaurants, hotels, and theaters and travels toward "Someplace Special." In the end, readers see that 'Tricia Ann's destination is the integrated public library, a haven for all in a historical era of courage and change. Dialogue illustrates her confidence and intelligence as she bravely searches for truth in a city of Jim Crow signs. Pinkney re-creates the city in detailed pencil-and-watercolor art angled over full-page spreads, highlighting the young girl with vibrant color in each illustration. A thought-provoking story for group sharing and independent readers.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. -
In this captivating story about the discriminatory past that barred individuals from defined areas based on the color of his or her skin, the author portrays the innocent perspective of Trisha Anne a young girl wanting to spend the day in her favorite spot. Trisha grew up with individuals that guided her to believe that she needed to act a certain way because of their prior upbringing and the government control. Although, the individuals were controlled towards specific actions it did not stop her family members for teaching her to think on her own. In Trisha's adventure, she is full of furious emotions towards Jim Crow. Throughout the experience, Trisha is encouraged by peers not to be discouraged by signs that make her feel the unwelcoming emotions.
The story has captivated readers with strong quotes from the story. Notably, I felt the way Trisha Anne's relationship with her family members gave her the courage to be a strong female in the world. I think that it is imperative to note Grandma Patricia's statement about the signs, "hold your head up and act as you belong to somebody." The quote serinated with me, I felt that it was a beautiful way to describe the feelings of the characters in the story.
The story, "Goin' Someplace Special" needs to have a place in each teachers library. The way I would want to use this in the classroom is with social studies. Mainly, the book will give the readers an understanding of a black individuals perspective during the Jim Crow laws. The story will interest students in the conversation of the content by providing the students with a story to empathize towards the character. -
Excellent snapshot back in time of what it would have been like to be a little black girl living during the Jim Crow era.
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1. Summary: This book takes place during the 1950's in Nashville, Tennessee where blacks aren't treated equally. They are looked down upon and not treated well, but Tricia Ann is a determined young girl who walks across town to get to her special place, the library.
2. This is a great book to read to young children and teach them about segregation during the 1950's. It also will teach them about light, hope and determination. This picture book tells a great story, and the author does an amazing job expressing the characters in the story and what Tricia Ann goes through.
3. This book can be paired with "Grandmama's Pride" by Becky Birtha
4. "It was much more than bricks and stone, it was an idea". -
I love this book. It's one of my favorites. It's not all happy go lucky and does not sugarcoat history but it speaks to the power of resilience and belonging. I picked it up again today to share with my kiddo and it is still a fabulous book.
Recommended on the No Extra Words podcast Episode 119. -
Picture your favorite place. Now picture a sign over that place that simply states, "(your skin color) NOT ALLOWED". That is what the main character, 'Tricia Ann, sees on her quest to get to "Someplace Special" (as the title implies).
Set in the south in the 1950's, this award-winning book will tear at your heart strings until the very last page. The author, Patricia C. McKisssack (who is the main character in the story as well- hence 'Tricia), takes us along on 'Tricia Ann's journey through her small town. 'Tricia Ann has one destination in mind through her journey; to get to "Someplace Special".
One morning, 'Tricia Ann decides she wants to find "her special place" alone. Although her grandmother is less than thrilled at allowing 'Tricia Ann to go off on her own, she agrees; thus, the semi-autobiographical story begins. As 'Tricia Ann boards the bus, she realizes she is not allowed to sit in the empty front of the bus; instead she is forced to sit in the crowded "colored section". As 'Tricia Ann is aboard the bus, she sees familiar faces that instantly make her feel better. 'Tricia Ann and her friends discuss how unfair it is that all the white people get to sit in the front, while they feel crowded and angry. One of 'Tricia Ann's friends points out that, "Those signs can
tell us where to sit, but they can't tell us what to think".
When 'Tricia Ann reaches her stop, she instantly sees a beautiful water fountain. 'Tricia wants to sit on a near-by bench and take in all of the water's beauty. To 'Tricia Ann's horror, the bench has a "FOR WHITES ONLY" sign engraved in it's wood. 'Tricia Ann is beyond devastated when she learns that she cannot simply sit down because she is not white.
As 'Tricia Ann leaves the park, she comes to a local hot dog vendor who she is familiar with. Instantly the hot dog vendor can see how upset 'Tricia Ann is and gives her this piece of advice, "Don't let those signs steal yo' happiness". Tricia Ann keeps this bit of advice with her as she wanders into a hotel. Instantly, 'Tricia is caught in a rather large, loud crowd in the middle of the hotel lobby. It turns out there is a famous person in the hotel lobby in which everyone wants their autograph. As 'Tricia Ann is taking in all that is around her, she is stopped suddenly by the manager of the hotel screaming, "What makes you think you can come inside? No colored people are allowed!" With that, 'Tricia Ann runs out of the hotel and into a church garden where she finally sobs hysterically. 'Tricia Ann is caught off guard when she hears a quiet, delicate voice, "You are somebody, a human being- no better, no worse than anybody else in this world. Gettin' someplace special is not an easy route. But don't study on quittin', just keep walking straight ahead- and you'll make it." As it turns out, the soothing voice is from a woman who is sitting in the church garden when 'Tricia arrives.
Only after those wise words is 'Tricia Ann able to continue on to finding her special place. Finally, she arrives; there it is ahead of her, The Public Library, where 'Tricia Ann can read the words engraved into this building- "Where all are welcome". 'Tricia Ann breathes a huge sigh of relief as she realizes she made it to her special place; a place where all are welcome; the public library.
You will want to make sure this true story will find a way into your classroom library from the theme that runs throughout. Children ages 4 and up can learn about segregation in a child-friendly way. With the book's touching, watercolored pictures, your students will be able to connect with the main character's emotional journey. -
Tricia Ann open a window for me to understand a little bit more how was to live in 1950 in the US.
She teaches in a very innocent way the Jim crow law, the segregation that was done at that time. But also leaves hope for those who can find the light out of the tunnel. In this case is the importance of studying, reading to be better. -
Summary:This a an extraordinary book for young children to read. A little girl starts out her day by asking her grandmother if she could go to her "someplace special" place by herself that day. Her grandmother reluctantly lets her go, but reminders her to keep her head up and make sure she asks like she belongs to someone. She sets off on her journey and gets on a bus. She has to sit in the colored section and lets her grandmothers friend sit down when there were no more seats left, although there were plenty in the white section. She doesn't think this is fair but her grandmother's friend tells her that this is just the way it is. When she walks by a street pretzel vendor, he asks her whats wrong. She told him about the bus and the man points across the street and asks her if she though it was possible they could go get a BLT and coffee in the restaurant? His answer was no even though his brother cooks all their food. He tells her not to let those signs take away her happiness as she continues on her way. She walks by a fancy hotel where the doorman stops her to talk, but a celebrity pulls up and the crowd of people push her inside. The manager of the hotel yells and pushes her out the door since colored people weren't allowed in. The little girl holds in her tears until she gets to an old garden. As she cries and thinks about goes home, an elderly women who cares for the garden came to her and told her to listen for her grandmother. As she did, she hear her grandmothers kind and strong words that encouraged her to continue on. The readers finally get to see where the little girl has tried to get to all day, a library. Across the top, written in stone, are the words, "The Public Library: All Are Welcome".
Reflection: The story is one that can be a tear jerker. It was such a struggle for this girl to make her way all the way to the library and all she wants to do is sit and read. She has to deal with the reality that she is considered less than by most people. She can't go places that white people can and cant even sit on a park bench in front of the fountain her grandfather built.
Teaching Idea: This can be included in a text set for a civil rights section of social studies. Most civil rights lessons cover the laws, monumental people, and huge movements that occurred during this time, but they do not always bring the reality of the time period to something that can make an impact on a child. They would of course thing that it is supper unfair that they have to sit all the way to the top of the movie theater or they couldn't eat where they want. This is a relateable book, but also a book that brings up a lot of the harsh realities of the time that students might not have connected to yet. -
Goin' Someplace Special is a lovely and mature text that would be perfect for older elementary to middle-school students, with rich content at a manageable reading level. A historical fiction text about a young girl, Tricia, who is living in the segregated south, set during the years of Jim Crow Laws in the 1950's. The young girl wants to venture into the city to the public library for the first time, alone. As the young girl encounters racism and segregation without the protection of her grandmother, Tricia proceeds with her adventure to "someplace special" with dignity and strength. The authors simple and evocative text is complemented by illustrator, Jerry Pinkney's expressive watercolor illustration. Together they transport readers back to the hurtful and unfair world of the 1950s segregated south. The Author's Note at the end completes and enriches the story, and can be a starting point for further lessons and/or discussions.
This book could be an introduction to (or a supporting text) of segregation and racism within the USA. It is easy as a teacher to tell students "this is what segregation was like", but when hearing about the terrible and unfair Jim Crow Laws through a book, with a character students can relate to, students are able to experience these situations through text, giving students meaningful insight into a time in history. Not only can this book be used a social studies resource, but this book is also an excellent mentor-text for students and teachers regarding writing. This text has many excellent writing trait examples, such as the use of voice, word choice, and organization within texts. The book is an excellent quick write starter, as students can write about a place that makes them feel safe. This book is an excellent resource to Language Arts and Social Studies teachers. It is also an all-around excellent read-aloud, as it can generate deep conversations about life. There is one particular quote within the book that really stuck out as a conversation starter: "You are somebody, a human being-no better, no worse than anybody else in this world. Gettin' someplace special is not an easy route. But don't study on quittin', just keep walking straight ahead-and you'll make it."
This a book every teacher should have in their classroom library. -
I. Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia C. Mckissick tells the story of a young African American girl named Tricia growing up in the 1960’s. One morning she decides she wants to journey by herself to “someplace special” and asks her grandmother for permission. After some hesitation her grandma agrees and gives her the parting words of “hold your head up high.” She tries to remember her grandmother’s words at each stop on the way to “someplace special,” because Tricia lives in the segregated south and at every corner there’s a Jim Crowe sign or a hurtful comment said to her. However, she meets friends at every stop who encourage her and remind her of her grandmother’s message which in turn helps her determination to get to “someplace special. In the end, Tricia arrives at the special place and stands in front of the public library that hosts a big sign that says “PUBLIC LIBRARY: ALL ARE WELCOME.”
II. This particular children’s story has major themes of pride and determination. Tricia is constantly reminded throughout the book to be proud of who she is no matter what the circumstances. She also is determined to reach “someplace special” despite the obstacles that may stand in her way. Overall, she is determined to reach a place of acceptance both for herself and for others.
III. 5 stars
IV. This is a very powerful book especially when it comes to the author’s note at the end. We learned that the book is loosely based on Mckissick’s own childhood experiences in Nashville. I think this makes it more personable since it can be related back to actual events. Its hard to remember that acceptance wasn’t always so prevalent and this book reminds me of that. The illustrations are also beautiful and help convey the message of the book even more with bright colors.
V. I would recommend this book to read to children to use as a message of kindness and inclusivity. It would also be good to supplement a history lesson on Jim Crowe laws and segregation. I think it sends a great message to all readers.
