Kira-Kira

Kira-Kira. ISBN: 0-689-85640-7. Cynthia Kadohata. (2004). Newbery Medal. Historical Fiction. Ages 9+. Japanese Americans, lower working class, unions.

This story is told by Katie, a Japanese American middle child living in rural areas in the 1950s. She is telling the story of her family from the time she is five until she is grows to be a young lady at about age ten. She idolizes her sister, who seemed to raise her because their parents had to work so much in an egg hatchery and cutting poultry. Her sister taught her everything she knows, including Kira-Kira, which is Japanese for "glitter." Lynn taught Katie to look at the world as though everything were amazing and "glitter."

Throughout the story, Lynn goes from being an overachiever to becoming very ill. There is a role reversal because Lynn used to care for Katie, and now Katie needs to grow up and care for Lynn. The story walks you through the exhaustion, anger, guilt, love, and grief that a family goes through when they are caring for an ill family member. In the end, Lynn passes away, but Katie is able to move on and experience the things her sister had wished that they could experience together, such as going to the ocean. Lynn made lists and always had a vision, and even though she did not directly teach that to Katie, Katie now has goals and visions because of Lynn. Katie helps pull the family, who seems to fall apart after Lynn's death, together again and give them hope.

This book helps us to see the growth of unions in the 1950s and how controversial they were. Katie's mom had to work without breaks, so she had to wear a pad in case she had to go to the bathroom. This gives us an idea of how oppressive the work environment was in the factories, at least in Georgia, at that time. The family worked very hard to save for a house (also one of Lynn's visions) and when Lynn becomes very sick, they decide to also borrow money so that she can enjoy the house with them before anything happens to her.

Even though it was after the Civil War, segregation was still in existence. Katie did make contact with a white family who was very helpful and became family friends. They were the only white family who attended Lynn's funeral.

In the classroom, you could use this book to talk about emotions and grieving. You could use it to talk about siblings and how they teach one another. Students could do an exercise and journal their visions, goals, and hopes for the future, like Lynn did. Then talk to students about applying strategies to reach their goals and achieve what they envision.

You could have the children answer the questions that Katie tries to answer throughout the book when she is talking about how surreal her life seems and she is looking at it as a story. She asks: "What is the theme? What does the story mean? Why did the characters act in a certain way?" Ask the children if they have ever experienced something that didn't seem real, and if so, what would be the "theme" of their experience and the outcome?

Creative dramatics: Have the kids act out what the pro-union meeting may be like. Have them talk about the working conditions and how the union may help improve those conditions. Katie's mom thinks that Mr. Lyndon is helping them, but is he helping them or using them? How? Assign students to be for and against the union movement.