Kira-Kira : Glittering, Sparkling, and Truly Amazing
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata. New York: Atheneum Books, 2005, 245 pages, $7.99. Reviewed by Emelie Childers, AISCT student, on 20 November 2015
This book was kira-kira. In Japanese, that is a phrase used to describe the good things in life that sparkle, glitter and shine. Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata is about the Takeshimas, a Japanese-American family living in Georgia during the 1950’s. The story is focused on Katie, and her older sister Lynn, who she looks up to greatly. She even uses the phrase “kira-kira” to describe her. When Lynn gets lymphoma, the whole family must learn to cope with all the changes. It’s a really heart-wrenching story, but it has happy moments as well. …show more content…
It is written from the point of view of Katie Takeshima, and she writes about her life when she is in her early teens. Somehow, in the beginning of the book, she makes it seem like she is a six-year-old writer. Every chapter, the maturity level gradually goes up. She grows from an innocent little girl, who doesn’t understand why she has to stay at the back of a hotel, to someone who understands about racism, discrimination, poverty, crime, and sickness. As I read the book, I really felt like I was right there next to Katie. Also, Katie begins each chapter talking about the past, then the point of view changes to the present, but she is still talking about things that happened years ago. The amount of detail put into every action, every thought, and every word is extremely powerful. Every now and then, there are pauses in the narration, and Katie tells the reader what she was thinking, how she felt about everything, and made lists of “things that are kira-kira”. When I was reading the book, I actually forgot that an adult wrote it; the book convinced me that it was written by a girl just a few years older than I am. Cynthia Kadohata really has a powerful and unique style of writing that sets it apart from most other
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata. New York: Atheneum Books, 2005, 245 pages, $7.99. Reviewed by Emelie Childers, AISCT student, on 20 November 2015
This book was kira-kira. In Japanese, that is a phrase used to describe the good things in life that sparkle, glitter and shine. Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata is about the Takeshimas, a Japanese-American family living in Georgia during the 1950’s. The story is focused on Katie, and her older sister Lynn, who she looks up to greatly. She even uses the phrase “kira-kira” to describe her. When Lynn gets lymphoma, the whole family must learn to cope with all the changes. It’s a really heart-wrenching story, but it has happy moments as well. …show more content…
It is written from the point of view of Katie Takeshima, and she writes about her life when she is in her early teens. Somehow, in the beginning of the book, she makes it seem like she is a six-year-old writer. Every chapter, the maturity level gradually goes up. She grows from an innocent little girl, who doesn’t understand why she has to stay at the back of a hotel, to someone who understands about racism, discrimination, poverty, crime, and sickness. As I read the book, I really felt like I was right there next to Katie. Also, Katie begins each chapter talking about the past, then the point of view changes to the present, but she is still talking about things that happened years ago. The amount of detail put into every action, every thought, and every word is extremely powerful. Every now and then, there are pauses in the narration, and Katie tells the reader what she was thinking, how she felt about everything, and made lists of “things that are kira-kira”. When I was reading the book, I actually forgot that an adult wrote it; the book convinced me that it was written by a girl just a few years older than I am. Cynthia Kadohata really has a powerful and unique style of writing that sets it apart from most other