Kira-Kira

 

By Cynthia Kadohata

 

As much as books can be an escape from reality for a lot of people, sometimes it is refreshing for a book to not have the perfect happily ever after. That is exactly what the book Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata is. Kira-Kira is about a family of 5 who moved from their old home to Iowa. We see the story from the perspective of Katie, who is the middle child. Her older sister, Lynn, is like her idol. She also has a little brother. Lynn was Katie’s favorite person. They did almost everything together. But things started to change after they moved to Iowa. Lynn got older, and got new friends. Slowly, Lynn starts to spend a little less time with Katie. Then, Lynn starts getting sick. What starts out  coming off as a flu or a stomach bug turns out to be a life threatening disease. It is now Katie’s job to make things right as her family falls apart. I love this book for many reasons. Not giving away the ending, but it is not the stereotypical happy ending, is all I will say. Also, it shows the realistic side of moving, friendship, health, and youth. What I also enjoy is that it is not completely centered on romance or heartbreak, but rather the truly important parts of life, which is family, friendship, and health. I rate this book 5/5 stars, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming story, a refreshing outlook on life, or anyone who may enjoy it. Happy reading!