Monday, April 8, 2013


Goin' Someplace Special is a great book to teach students about the southern 1950's.  Tricia Ann wants to go someplace special.  Someplace that everyone is welcome, no matter the skin color.  She knows exactly how to get there and she wants to try it out all on her own.  As Tricia Ann makes her way around town, she experiences Jim Crow laws that force her to sit in the back of the bus.  Tricia becomes slightly discouraged, but this does not stop her.  She continues to make her way to this special place.  After she gets kicked out of an all white hotel, she ends up in a garden and a friend reminds her that she is not alone.  Her grandmother's words play through her head, "You are somebody, a human being -- no better, no worse than anybody else in this world." When Tricia Ann finally makes it to her someplace special, the sign reads "Public Library: Everyone is Welcome" 

I think we live in a world where segregation is not talked about very often.  This book is a great way to teach this to children of all ages.  Not only does it preach perseverance, but it show Tricia Ann's determination no matter what. 

3 comments:

  1. This sounds like a great book for kids to really understand diversity through a child's eyes. It makes it a lot more relateable for them and this book just sounds great! I really liked your post because of the use of the quotes you placed in because it really gives me a feel for what the book is going to be like. Sounds like wonderful book.

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  2. I love this book, I really want to read this book. I really hope your using this book as an annotated book on your book list because I think it is perfect. Segregation is a topic that is not really taught in depth at school but it is very important and something to teach children because they do not realize that discrimination is real. I believe this book should be for 3rd or 4th grades, although I know the reading level is not that high, I think the meaning behind it will be better comprehended for those students.

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  3. This sounds like a great book! Although it seems like segregation is still not an issue today it still persists.As bad as it sounds discrimination will never go away so its really important to bring this issue up in the classroom and this book would be wonderful to do so!

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