Kira-Kira

Kira-Kira. ISBN 0-689-85640-7. Cynthia Kadohata. 2004. Newberry Medal. Ages 9-12. Asian-American Historical Fiction.

Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata, is the story of a Japanese-American family living in America in the sixties. Kira-Kira means glitter in Japanese and is a word that the main character, Katie, cherishes because it was taught to her by her older sister and best friend Lynn. Katie's family begins in Iowa, but must move to Georgia when their Oriental Foods buisness fails and her Uncle Katsuhisa has work for the mother and father in a chicken hatchery down south. The parents are always working and the family has very little money, but their family bond is strong. They stay together and care for eachother through struggles, including the death of Lynn after being diagnosed with lymphoma.

This story really focuses on how important family is, especially when facing issues like discrimination, near poverty, and death. This familiy never quits and always keeps hope that the future will be better. I would use this book in a classroom to stress the importance of family. We could also discuss how different the world was in regards to discrimination, not that long ago. It is important to remind students of the struggles that many immigrants faced and still face today. This encourages empathy and caring.