Picture books are often deceivingly simple, and Goin' Someplace Special is no exception. On its surface, it's the story of a little girl who finds the library with the help of strangers. But it's so much deeper than that, and what the library represents is so much more important than one singular building with books in it. The library is the "special place" where segregation and racism lose their power, but more importantly, it's a promise. It's like Tricia has stumbled into a temple with hidden wisdom, which she will need, because life is difficult for black people in Tricia's community. It's the promise of future success and future power, but it becomes that for Tricia because she is drawn to the peace of mind that she finds.
Therefore the library represents not just Tricia's discovery of knowledge, but also, the story has a transcendental interpretation: Tricia's pursuit of the peaceful library is the same as the real Tricia (the author) finding her way in the real world, taking solace in books and stories, and participating in her community as a thoughtful person.
It's like an instruction manual for how to exist in a world that is designed to be unfair and cruel. Imagine being a black child in the South. It's 1950, and everywhere you walk, people sneer and cast hatred at you. How could a young, innocent child make sense of such hostility and hatred? The story itself is an answer to that problem. Tricia finds a healthy way to live by reading. By reading, Tricia can locate herself in the big story of life, reading about hundreds of other people's stories and their struggles, and by taking comfort in the encouragement that others can give. It's a metaphor for Tricia finding happiness in a world that hates and oppresses her.
This deeper meaning doesn't mean that libraries aren't literally magical somehow. Any child knows that libraries really can feel spiritual and powerful, like churches or something. They are special for exactly the reasons Tricia identifies.
