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Genealogy Book Store > Genealogy books beginning with K
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Kira-Kira |
Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Published: 2006-12-26 |
List price: $6.99
Our price: $6.99
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As of: January 06th, 2009 05:12:11 AM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 A book that will appeal to a specific set of teenagers
Kira-Kira is the story of the Japanese-American Takeshima family, told from the point of view of Katie, the youngest daughter. We learn in the opening passage of the story that Kira-Kira means "glittering" in Japanese, and that it was Katie's first word, taught to her by her older sister Lynn. It's obvious from the beginning that Katie adores Lynn.
Born in Iowa to Japanese immigrants, Katie and Lynn have a nice childhood, but everything changes when the family's asian food store goes out of business, and they move to Georgia to become factory workers in a poultry processing plant. It's here that Katie realizes for the first time that she is different. Shunned by the white Georgians, the Japanese community in Georgia is tight knit, but life is very difficult. Katie and Lynn's parents work extremely long hours under harsh conditions. Katie and Lynn rarely see their father, and when they do, he's exhausted. Their mother is forced to wear "pads" because bathroom breaks are not allowed in the factory. When their baby brother, Sammy, is born, the girls and a next door neighbor pretty much raise him. Just when things can't get worse, Lynn becomes very ill, and the family's bonds are tested.
This heart wrenching story is one that I will soon not forget. Cynthia Kadohata expertly gets into the mind of a girl Katie's age who has to deal with some very adult situations but does not quite understand them. An example of this is when Lynn is very ill, and despite appearing very strong and brave in front of Lynn, Katie needs a moment alone and breaks down:
"I cried and cried. For a while as I cried I hated my parents, as if it were their fault Lynn was sick. Then I cried because I loved my parents so much. Then I didn't feel like crying anymore. I just felt barren, my eyes felt dry. They sky was still gray. Everything was gray, the sky and the store and even my hand when I held it out in front of myself. I wondered in anyone else in history had ever been as sad as I was at that moment" (p. 199).
We also see racism, prejudice, and the unfair treatment of the factory workers through Katie's eyes. While some have criticized this book and being slow and uninteresting for young adults, it would have been right up my alley when I was younger. Certainly, it's not for every kid and may appeal more to girls than boys, but it's a story that I think will impact many. It was completely deserving of its 2005 Newbery Medal win.
Originally posted at The Well-Read Child.
 highly recommended
Very compelling coming of age story about a young Japanese American girl during the 1950's. There is a little bit of everything: Japanese culture, American History, Racism, Death. The writer's style is eloquently simple but satisfying. This is not a story just for kids, either. (I'm 39 and I loved it)
Sad, Powerful Book
Kira-Kira is a book about a family who seems to struggle through life. This book teaches you that life can be sad. Kira-Kira taught me how life can be happy and sad in all different ways. Katie and Lynn are young (well, Kate's young) sisters who live in Iowa with their parents and their baby brother named Sammy. They don't have that much money. Their parents work in a factory and all the kids have to make sacrifices. Katie and Sammy have to take care of Lynn throughout the book. Lynn and Katie were best friends as sisters but sometimes Lynn got sad because her sickness didn't allow her to play with all her friends.
This book is long and had sad stuff in it. I still think it's a good story but beware it's a sad book.
by Joelle
Love it Like Crazy
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommended it to all my friends - they, too, loved it. The voice is awesome, the plot is serious enough to keep a reader concerned, and I also learned some things about the Japanese-American experience. Entertaining, interesting, and educational - not much more to ask for!
Bittersweet
This is a wonderful story about relationships, prejudice , and loving the person inside yourself. An enchanting story indeed.
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