Kira-Kira

By Cynthia Kadohata

Two sisters lie on their backs, watching the stars and repeating the Japanese word for “glittering”––“kira-kira.” Like this quiet opening scene, Kadohata's tenderly nuanced novel glitters with plain and poignant words that describe the strong love within a Japanese American family from the point of view of younger sister Katie. Personal challenges and family tragedy are set against the oppressive social climate of the South during the 1950s and early 1960s.


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