Module 6: Goin' Someplace Special

Summary. Twelve year-old 'Tricia Ann finally made it: she's going alone to her favorite place. Mama Frances had worried and fussed about her granddaughter being out in the city all by herself, but finally gave permission. Now it's up to 'Tricia Ann to remember to sit behind the sign on the bus that says COLORED SECTION. Not to sit on the bench by the fountain because it's FOR WHITES ONLY. Jimmy Lee tells her "not to let those signs steal yo' happiness," but it's hard. At the Southland Hotel, while exchanging friendly words with Mr. Willis, 'Tricia Ann gets swept up in a crowd of excited fans and ends up in the grand lobby of the hotel. She's humiliated to be singled out and ordered to leave this place where only whites are allowed. Fortunately, an old woman helps her remember her mission, and before she knows it, she's there. Someplace Special. The Nashville Public Library, surmounted by the inscription: ALL ARE WELCOME.

Citation. McKissack, Patricia C. Goin' Someplace Special. Illus. Jerry Pinkney. New York: Atheneum, 2001. Print.

My Impressions. What a beautiful story. From cover to cover, we're rooting for 'Tricia Ann to make it to her favorite place. Someplace Special. She faces so many obstacles just heading downtown for a library book. Oh, the things we take for granted. My favorite quote comes from the slightly odd lady in the garden: "You are a somebody, a human being -- no better and no worse than anyone else in this world. Gettin' someplace special is not an easy route. But don't study on quittin', just keep walkin' straight ahead -- and you'll make it." I love Pinkney's 'Tricia Ann, the beautiful fountain she admires, the friendly people she meets. He captures the essence of what she sees on the trip. Together, he and Ms. McKissack paint a believable picture of Nashville, TN, in the 1950s. Her story, she recalls in the Author's Note. This was her world, and she tells the story well. I can't categorize this picture book for one age group; I could imagine reading this with preschoolers, school age kids, and even high school students.

Awards. Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, 2001.

Library Uses. This book would make an excellent discussion starter for talking about post WWII America, especially as related to Jim Crow in the south. It's also a jumping off point for the question: What is the role of the public library in a community? What makes it Someplace Special?

Reviews. (Booklist) 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.--Denise Wilms. Booklist. 1 Aug. 2001: Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 12 Jul. 2010.

(School Library Journal) 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.1 Sep. 2001: Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 12 Jul. 2010.