Mindful Muslim Reader Review

Goin' Someplace Special

Goin’ Someplace Special

Gold star
Ages:
    • Virtue
      VIRTUE
      Is this the way I want my child to think and act?
      Ratings are based on how much a book extols Islamic morality and espouses classical ideals.
    • Language
      LANGUAGE
      Is this the way I want my child to speak?
      Ratings are based on a book's vocabulary, cadence, and overall eloquence suited to age level.
    • Story
      STORY
      Does this story resonate with my child?
      Ratings are based on the integrity of plot structure, the depth of characters, the palpability of the book's conflict and resolution, and the lure of its setting.
    • Beauty
      BEAUTY
      Does this book develop my child's ability to recognize beauty?
      Ratings are based on aesthetics, linguistic beauty, poignancy, and how well a book embodies ihsan—harmonizing excellence.

    Values

    • Courage
    • Gratitude
    Heart

    Struggles

    • Responsibility
    • Self-Worth
    Why Should
    Why Should My Child Read This Book?

    A young girl begs her grandmother to allow her to take the bus into town to go Someplace Special all by herself. While the reader is wondering where this special place is, we travel through a town segregated by Jim Crow laws. Trisha Ann must sit at the back of the bus, get up from a whites-only bench when she is tired, and endure the humility of getting kicked out of a fancy whites-only hotel. Along the way, she is heartened and strengthened by elders she meets along her route who remind her to walk proudly, stand tall, and don’t let anyone tell you how to think or how to feel. When the cruelty becomes too much, she meets an old white woman (who most of the neighborhood thinks is crazy) who reminds her to think of her grandmother and not give up. She gathers her courage and completes her journey—to the public library—one of the few places that have been integrated in her community where all are welcome. This book earns our Gold Star for its portrayal of hope and integrity despite oppression. The Author’s Note at the end of the book gives a short history of Jim Crow and why libraries were open to all.

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    What is this book
    What’s This Book About?
    Nashville, Tennessee is segregated in the 1950s, and black people are persecuted, but young Tricia Ann is determined to venture on her own across town to someplace special. A must-read book about Jim Crow, but also about hope and light.

    Anything I need to be aware of?

    VIEW FLAGS
    Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
    Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
    Published: 2001
    Page Count: 40
    ISBN13: 9780689818851
    *This review applies only to ISBN number noted above.
    WE READ
    COVER TO COVER
    so you don't have to.
    WE READ COVER TO COVER so you don't have to.

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