Goin' Someplace Special

Patricia C. McKissack’s Coretta Scott King Award winning children’s book, Goin’ Someplace Special, is the semi-autobiographical story of the author-based fictional character, ‘Tricia Ann, and her experience as she journeys to her favorite place ever: “Someplace Special”. Set in a southern town during the 1950s, through ‘Tricia Ann’s downtown trip, McKissack explores issues of blatant segregation and unwarranted racism that were very prominent during these times. Tricia Ann sets off on her trip and immediately encounters this segregation as she is required to sit at the back of the bus in the designated “Colored Section”. Throughout the story ‘Tricia Ann faces this segregation and racism. As a young girl she finds the reasoning behind Jim Crow laws difficult to understand, however, she is aware of the danger that could result from disobeying such laws. One aspect of this story that I really liked was ‘Tricia Ann’s encounter with the young white boy named Hickey. This part of the story presents the innocence of children and the overall ridiculousness that issues of racism and segregation are rooted in. McKissack not only highlights a very important part of American history through her specific focus on the hardships that African Americans faced during the 1950s, but she does so while bringing forth the strong message of hope for African Americans. ‘Tricia Ann’s grandmother, Mama Frances, encourages ‘Tricia to hold her head high regardless of the conditions she must face. Mama Frances tells ‘Tricia that although whites can tell African Americans where to sit they can not tell them how to think and makes the very powerful statement, “you are a human being” no different than any one else. In addition to this hope provided by Mama Frances, ‘Tricia Ann is able to find her own sense of security as she finally arrives at her special place: the library. During the 1950s the library was the one place where blacks and whites were equally welcome. Ending the story on this positive note I felt was a very effective way of presenting hope for unity. McKissack does an excellent job of presenting one specific experience of life as an African American during the 1950s as she raises issues of segregation and racism; issues that are a very real part of our past and should by no means be neglected.


Works Cited

McKissack, Patricia C., and Jerry Pinkney. Goin' Someplace Special. New York: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books, 2001.