Goin' Someplace Special

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

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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.

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Tricia Ann encounters segregation and injustice as she goes by herself for the first time to find a special place where she feels welcome.

This is a story about a young girl who is excited to visit "someplace special" but becomes discouraged by unfair segregation along the way.

a good book to introduce segregation, its not horrifying but def. touches on the racism that went on

'Tricia Ann goes across town to the library where all are welcomed in spite of segregation in the southern town during the 1950s.

This award winning picture book discusses in the south 1950 through the eyes of a young girl. It follows her throughout the day as she experiences discrimination first hand on her way to the library.

This is an award-winning picture book that is based in the south in the 1950s through the eyes of a young girl. It speaks of the experiences of discrimination she receives first hand on a day by day basis. It taks place in a newly intergrated public library.

Goin’ Someplace Special is a beautiful rendition of adolescence’s self determination and pride. Despite the segregated Jim Crow laws, there is nothing that is going to stop Tricia Ann from getting to the only place where she feels as if she is somebody. Usually stories reflecting the

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discriminatory indignities of the Jim Crow era are seen vicariously through adult eyes and rarely the impact on the young is viewed; this rare incite is influential in making this story even more impressionable. What a creative and picturesque way to highlight the importance of public libraries.

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This book is about a young girl who ventures out of her city to go to integrated places. This book was set in the 1950's in Nashville. I think this book has good historical information. This book can be used to teach about how our country used to be segregated by color. This could then lead on to a

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whole discussion about the stpes people took to make our country how it is today.

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In segregated 1950s Nashville, the public library admits everyone regardless of race. Good read aloud to use as an example of personal narrative.

This book is about a little girl who is trying to go somewhere special. Being African American in the time frame the book was set - getting to her special place is difficult. The little girl is very brave and finally gets to the place she feels free - the library.

I think this is a great story that offers great insight into the world during the Civil Rights Movement!

Goin Someplace Special tells the story about a young African American girl as she learns about the Jim Crow laws from traveling around town one day. The story is an inspiring tale of a little girl's adventure going somewhere she thinks is special and her grandmother's words to her. The history of

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the story is written in the back for the reader to observe the facts chronicalled in the story.

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A beautiful, uplifting story about a young African-American girl who takes her first outing alone to go someplace special. She is confronted by racism and hate. Her grandmother has taught her wonderful lessons on being brave and proud to be who she is. Along her journey she is met by friends around

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town who remind her to be proud and stand up for herself. Her ultimate destination, her someplace special, the library, where everyone is welcome.

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Tells the story of a place in Tennessee where Jim Crow Laws were not allowed. Where there was no black, white or brown separated or singled out.

The way the author writes this darling Southern tale, allows the reader to jump right into the thick of things and almost makes it impossible to not read the story without a true Southern accent. The pictures are wonderful. The fading on the outskirts of the image give you the impression that that

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moment is the one you should focus on and everything else around it is not nearly as important. The author continually builds suspense as she brings us to new place each time only to find that that place isn't "Someplace Special."

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"Goin' someplace special" is about a young girl named Tricia Ann who was determined to go visit her special place all by herself. Once out by herself Tricia Ann begins to really notice all the racism and hate but Tricia Ann just keeps her head up and doesn’t let it get to her.

This book takes a

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really touchy subject and exposes it in a settle manner that is very appropriate for children. I like it.

I would use this book in a history lesson to give the students an example of just what it was like in the days of heavy racism and hate.

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Goin’ Someplace Special is a wonderful story of a young African-American girl named Tricia Ann and follows her on her first journey across town on her own. As Tricia Ann travels to her “someplace special” she faces racism and discrimination. Tricia is hurt by the prejudice she faces, but her

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grandmother is able to offer kind words to help make her feel better. Along with the help of her grandmother, Tricia Ann finally arrives at her “someplace special”, which is the public library where all are welcome. The story takes place in Nashville during the 1950s.

This book has beautiful illustrations done by Jerry Pinkney and is wonderful to use as a mentor text in the classroom because it can be used to help teach students about civil rights and discrimination. In addition, the touching story about Tricia Ann really allows the reader to feel the hurt that she is feeling and explore how painful discrimination really is. I would recommend this book for independent reading for students in K-2 and it is also an excellent mentor text to read aloud throughout the elementary grades.

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Summary
Set in the 1950s, this is the story of 'Tricia Ann, a 12 year old African-American girl who is finally old enough to travel by bus to "Someplace Special." Every stage of her journey is filled with reminders of the "Jim Crow" laws then in force. One particularly upsetting incident almost

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convinces 'Tricia Ann to return home. But then she remembers her grandmother's words, "Gettin' someplace special is not an easy route. But don't study on quittin', just keep walking straight ahead -and you'll make it." They convince her to continue until she reaches her destination. "It was much more than bricks and stone. It was an idea. Mama Frances called it a doorway to freedom. "Someplace Special" is the public library, the one public building that is not segregated, and which has these words chiseled above the door: "ALL ARE WELCOME."

Personal Reaction
I loved the pencil and water color illustrations. They worked well with the story to establish time and place. I especially liked the artist's use of color to focus the reader's attention on particular parts of each illustration.

Extensions
This book can be used to encourage students to appreciate historical events as well as the concept of equality. Students can be asked to draw their favorite place that they would like to visit and label it. Students can also be encouraged to write a line or two about freedom and equality.

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In a story based upon the author's own life, Patricia McKissack shares a day in 1950s Nashville, in which a young girl ('Tricia Ann) goes to the city's library, alone, for the first time. Upon leaving home, her mom tells her to "hold yo' head up and act like you b'long to somebody." Readers see

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'Tricia Ann sit in the 'colored section' of the bus. As she makes her way, she encounters different friends, and after expressing frustration with segregation rules, one friend tells her, "Don't let those signs steal yo' happiness," in reference to the many 'whites only' signs around town. At her low point, when she wants to turn around and go home, she is told "You are somebody, a human being-no better, no worse than anybody else in this world...But don't study on quittin', just keep walking straight ahead-and you'll make it." And eventually, that is exactly what happens. Throughout the story, McKissack shares moment after moment of racism and injustice with her readers. We see how jubilantly 'Tricia Ann starts her day, and how, at every step, it seems, some white person is there to tell her she doesn't belong. Readers will see what life was like for a young girl at that time, and how wrong everything was. But, readers will also feel inspired by young 'Tricia Ann, in seeing how resilient and determined she was. Also, 'Tricia Ann finds support in different friends around town, most of whom are black, but also from one white woman. The pencil and watercolor illustrations provided by Jerry Pinkney greatly complement McKissack's text. We see 'Tricia Ann's eager smile in the start of the story, and her utterly optimistic blue and yellow dress. She walks near a fountain in a park, at one point, with her arms extended, and her skirt fluttering around her. When she is accidentally caught in a crowd, and enters a fancy hotel, we see just how much she stands out from the crowd of white people surrounding her. Pinkney also shows readers the looks of disgust that the white people give 'Tricia Ann. Upon reaching the library, the "someplace special," we see the words, "All are welcome," etched on the building. And finally, once she reaches her destination, we are able to see the look on 'Tricia Ann's face, the way she clutches her purse, how her head looks upward, and the powerful gaze radiating from her eyes.

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Tricia Ann is a young African American girl in the 1950s who has been allowed to travel by herself into town. Along the way she gets upset about the injustices visited upon the African Americans. But she knows one place that anyone can go to and that is the public library. It is quite a good book

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addressing the issue of segregation but also about a child finding that special place where they can be themselves with no rules.

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ESL classroom use: introduction to African American culture, sentence structure.

'Tricia Ann is goin' someplace special and no one is going to stop her! A story showing the injustices towards African Americans during the days of the Jim Crowe laws.

This is a heartwarming story about segregation in the south and the one place that voted against Jim Crow and welcomed everyone—the library. The detailed watercolors build character, from the look of love in Mama Frances’s eyes to the look of anguish and dejection in Tricia Ann’s face and

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body language. The paintings also add details that words cannot supply to the many stops along Tricia Ann’s way to her “someplace special.” Teaching ideas include: history of slavery, segregation, and civil rights, freedom that can be found for everyone in libraries and literature, building setting through words and art, and building character through words and art.

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