Kira-kira by Cynthia Kadohata. Youth Cd Books - Lower Level - KADOHATA
This is the story of two incredibly close sisters, Katie and Lynn Takeshima. They are Japanese-American sisters growing up together in Iowa and Georgia during the 1950s. Katie adores Lynn and feels she can do anything. Sometimes the girls are shunned by their white classmates, but these occurrences only bond the sisters together more tightly. The two girls love to stare at the stars in the night sky and chant “Kira-kira Kira-kira” which is the Japanese word for glittering. In fact, Katie starts using the word to describe anything she finds beautiful even colored Kleenex! Their parents are so busy with work that often the children, which includes a younger brother named Sammy, are left alone or in others care. Still the children know that their parents are working hard to make the family’s life better, and the children admire and love them deeply.
The girls’ idyllic life starts to change when Lynn is 14 and Katie is 10 and a half. Lynn gets more and more fatigued during her 14th year. She also starts to hang out with a popular girl named Amber. Suddenly, Lynn is interested in boys and making her posture straight, while Katie still wants to play games with the neighborhood children. Thus, they experience a slight drift in their closeness. As Lynn grows more ill, the family struggles to cope with her suffering and her mood swings. Through it all though, Lynn and Katie remain extremely close.
Elaina Erika Davis acts out all of the character parts in this audio version of Kira-kira. She does a very good job at portraying their different emotions. Listening to the unfolding of the sister’s close bond should draw many listeners into this touching story—which is essentially a love story between two sisters. The book won the 2005 Newbery Medal Award and while this is a youth fiction selection, it could and should be enjoyed by people of all ages!