Kira-Kira
A novel by Cynthia Kadohata that won the Newbery Medal for Children's Literature in 2005.
Taking place in the 1950s, the story revolves around Katie Takeshima, a Japanese-American girl who looks up to her sister, Lynn, because she reminds Katie to always look at the bright side of life by knowing that the future is always glittering: kira-kira. After her parents move from Iowa to Georgia to get jobs at chicken hatcheries, Lynn develops anemia and later lymphoma.
Do Not Confuse With the Japanese Visual Novel Kira Kira.
Kira-Kira provides examples of:
- Bittersweet Ending
- Child Prodigy: Lynn can beat her Uncle Katsuhisa, a self-proclaimed chess grand master, at his own game.
- Coming of Age Story
- Death By Newbery Medal
- Deep South
- Ill Girl: Lynn.
- Innocent Prodigy: Lynn.
- Leaning On the Fourth Wall: "It seemed that at this moment I was inside a story. This was the story of my life, and I did not know what any of it meant."