Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata Cynthia Kadohata's book, Kira-Kira, is the story of a mid-1950s Japanese-American family struggling to save money for buy a house. The story begins in Iowa, where the family lives and owns a small Asian grocery store. The parents were born in America, studied in Japan and still maintain some traditional Japanese qualities. Conflict arises when they move to Georgia to work in a poultry factory after the family store is no longer profitable. Further conflicts are added later in the story when the eldest daughter develops a terminal illness. Through the story readers learn about the living conditions in America during this time period. It accurately reflects prejudices against Japanese Americans and other cultures, depicts horrific factory working conditions, and demonstrates how communities and families came together to address and improve their situations. This story is told from the point of view of the younger sister, Katie, who learns about life, love and perseverance through the insightful guidance of her sister Lynn. The two sisters have a bond that makes this story touching and sparks the imaginations of 6th-8th grade readers. The format uses a child's point of view to gradually introduce readers to topics of prejudice, cultural differences, and hardships. The following is an example from page 34." The restaurant signs said things like COLORED IN THE BACK. White people sat in the front. We didn't know where to sit, so we always ordered to go. We didn't see another Japanese anywhere. We were stared at for a quite a bit. Sometimes a white woman would lean over us and exclaim, "How cute, some of them would touch our faces, like they weren't sure we were real!" At the same time as sensitive topics are introduced, the reader is also forming a relationship with characters who reflect an American childhood experience. The following is an example from page 13. “My uncle was exactly an inch taller than my father. But his stomach was soft. We knew this because we had hit him once the year before, and he yelped in pain and threatened to spank. We were sent to bed without dinner because my parents said hitting someone was the worst thing you could do, and stealing was the third. Before I was twelve I would have committed all three crimes.