Goin' Someplace Special is an inspiring book and a perfect resource to get children to view something from another person's perspective. The main character is 'Tricia Ann. She is an African-American girl living in the 1950's at a time when segregation was still common practice. 'Tricia Ann's grandmother allows her to venture out on her own for the first time to go to a place she only calls someplace special. But along the way 'Tricia Ann is confronted with prejudice as she sees signs everywhere stating "whites only". She almost turns around to go back home, until she remembers her grandmother's words; "You are somebody, a human being, no better, no worse than anybody else in this world" (25). 'Tricia Ann found the strength to continue her trip to that special place; the library, that displays a sign reading, "Public Library: all are welcome" (31).
The author of Goin' Someplace Special is Patricia Mckissack. On the last page she has written an author's note explaining that the story has been taken from her own life as a little girl in Nashville, Tennessee during the 1950's when Jim Crowe was the loud voice of segregation. The author's note makes this story all the more important for children. It gives them the opportunity to understand that many stories are inspired by an author's real life, and this particular story creates a feeling of empathy.
This book is perfect to have in a classroom library as one of many which should motivate multi-cultural education. Of course, it is also a good resource during Black History month, to break away from the old routine of just Martin Luther King and Harriet Tubman stories. But Goin' Someplace Special should be accessible to students through out the year. It is brief enough to use for a read aloud and students can discuss and write about how the author's note at the end changed how they thought and felt about the story.
No comments:
Post a Comment