History Literature / KiraKira

* IllGirl: Lynn, who is at first diagnosed as being anemic and then she's later on diagnosed with lymphoma. Her being sick adds more conflict to the plot.

NeedsWikiMagicLove.

* AwfulTruth: Katie being woken up to be [[spoiler:told that Lynn passed away]]
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Hank Garvin, one of the few whites in the story not racist towards the Takeshima family and the man who drives Sam to the hospital after getting stuck in a bear trap. He's so handsome, Katie forgets why she's knocking at his door.

* ComingOfAgeStory: Much of the story is Katie learning to be sensible and independent in light of her sister's illness and later on [[spoiler: death]]

* DyingWish: [[spoiler: Lynn's wish was to for Katie to get good grades, go to college, and take care of Mom,Dad, and Sammy.]]
* TheFifties: Early to mid 50s, specifically the store the family owns goes out of business in 1956.

* TheStoic: Masao Takeshima,Lynn and Katie's dad. He's compared to the sea on a windless day, calm and mild. [[spoiler: Naturally, him wrecking Mr. Lyndon's car after he's had enough Lynn's death and medical bills and Sammy's injury is a major OutOfCharacterMoment]]

* FlowerMotifs: At [[spoiler: Lynn's ]] burial. Most of the mourner's throw roses into [[spoiler: Lynn's]] grave, while Uncle Katsuhisa throws a yellow daisy and Katie a cosmos. Dad throws a white rose as a symbol of royalty and innocence.

* ThePollyana: Lynn is quite cheerful and positive, even when she first gets sick. This changes as her illness gets worse.

* BittersweetEnding: [[Lynn passes away, and, after being fired, Masao resolves to move his family to another hatchery in Missouri. Before they go, to cheer up the family opts for vacation, where Katy suggest they California, where her sister's dream house would have been. When she's on the beach, Katie hears Lynn's voice in the waves saying, ''"Kira-kira! Kira-kira!"'']]

* AloofOlderSister: Downplayed, but Lynn, as she enters her teens, makes a new friend, is interested in boys, and so spends less time with Katie.

* BittersweetEnding

* ComingOfAgeStory
* [[spoiler: DeathByNewberyMedal]]

* IllGirl: Lynn, who has lymphoma.

* MotorMouth: Uncle Katsuhisa
* TheSixties

DoNotConfuseWith the Japanese VisualNovel ''VisualNovel/KiraKira''.

!!''Kira-Kira'' provides examples of:

* DeepSouth
* DyingWish: [[spoiler: Lynn's is to for Katie to get good grades, go to college, and take care of Mom,Dad, and Sammy.]]

* Hatsuyume: Mentioned. Katie talks about writing down her first dream of the new year as well as watching the sunrise with other families.[[spoiler: Unfortunately,Lynn's death deprives her of good sleep for one.]]
* IllGirl: Lynn.

[[redirect:Literature/{{Kira-Kira}}]]

[[redirect:Literature/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: [[TitleDrop 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}} ''VisualNovel/KiraKira''.

NeedsWikiMagicLove.
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!!''Kira-Kira'' provides examples of:
* [[spoiler:BittersweetEnding]]
* ChildProdigy: Lynn can beat her Uncle Katsuhisa, a self-proclaimed chess grand master, at his own game.
* ComingOfAgeStory
* [[spoiler: DeathByNewberyMedal]]
* DeepSouth
* IllGirl: Lynn.
* InnocentProdigy: Lynn.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: "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."
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