Kira-Kira

Kira-Kira

by Cynthia Kadohata

Genre: Juvenile fiction

Synopsis:  kira-kira (kee ra kee ra): glittering; shining Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason and so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop on the street to stare, and it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow, but when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering -- kira-kira -- in the future.

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Review:  I appreciated the look into how a different culture, the Japanese culture, faced racism and prejudice in the United States as that is not often written about especially not in children's fiction.  I think this book would open up kids' eyes to how other people live and what they faced.  The story wasn't just about that, though, it was about Katie's and Lynn's relationship and bond as sisters.  Katie is heartbroken when her sister, Lynn, becomes sick but struggles with her feelings about it.  There were a few sections of the book that I wish would not have been included in the book as I felt like it made the book for an older audience instead of the middle grade audience that I think the book was intended for.  These sections did not add anything to be book and could have easily been left out (there were comments about adults having sex but not said so in so many words).  Overall this book was a good read but sometimes a little slow.

Rating: 3.5 stars