McKissack, Patricia. 2001. Goin' Someplace Special. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0-689-81885-8.
Tricia Ann is our young, vibrant narrator in Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack. The book begins out with Tricia at home with her Mama Frances (her grandmother). Tricia Ann is eagerly seeking permission to go someplace special by herself. Relunctantly, Mama Frances grants her permission to enter the world on her own. She gives some last minute advice as Tricia heads off, No matter what�hold yo' head up and like you b'long to somebody. Soon the reader understands why the grandmother was so cautious to send her baby out into the world. Tricia Ann lives in a segregated world. The bus to someplace special requires her to ride in back in the colored section. At the park on the way to someplace special she cannot sit on the park benches because they are only for white people. Being surrounded by restrictive signs, Tricia Ann becomes discouraged. She wants to go to a place where there are no silly signs. On her walk, she encounters various people, signs, situations, etc.�but she remains determined that she will reach someplace special no matter what. Her someplace special is the library. The library had a welcoming sign that said All are welcome. The library was her refuge, her solace, in a world full of signs that excluded her.
Goin Someplace Special openly portrays what life was like for African Americans in the segregated South with Jim Crow signs. It is set in the fifties and loosely based on the author's own experiences growing up. In the author's note, she comments that her grandmother told her that libraries were much better than the movies, restaurants, amusement parks, etc. that they were excluded from. It is a honest, compelling story.
Jerry Pinkney is the illustrator of Goin' Someplace Special. His artwork is extraordinary. It makes this nice picture book a masterpiece. The pictures complement the text perfectly. He draws people of all shapes, sizes, and colors. His backgrounds are vivid and detailed. His talent is put to good use in this book. One of my favorite illustrations is the scene where Tricia Ann is walking through the park admiring the fountain. The colors are so bright. She is walking along happy as can be. Her arms are open wide and it looks as if she's hugging the world. The picture captures her momentary joy. Of course, that joy fades when she realizes that this park isn't meant for her to enjoy.
This book is wonderful, and I highly recommend it! I loved the hope and freedom she found within the library. Libraries are meant to be wonderfully inviting places.
Other books in this culture are:
| Culture One: International Lit | Culture Two: African American Lit |
| Culture Three: Hispanic/Latino(a) Lit | Culture Four: Native American Lit |
| Culture Five: Asian American Lit | Culture Six: Other Groups Lit |