Teton County Call Number: J KADOHATA
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A moving story about a Japanese-American family during the 1960's. The family moves from their rural Japanese community in Iowa to a poultry producing area in Georgia and experiences some serious changes there, including being isolated from the rest of the community due to their ethnicity. Lynn, the eldest sister is like a second mother and best friend all rolled into one for her younger sister, Katie, the narrator of the book. The title of the book means "glittering," in Japanese and it is one of Katie and Lynn's favorite words. When Lynn becomes terminally ill, Katie must take the role of the care provider, for which she sometimes resents Lynn. When Lynn eventually passes away, it is Katie who becomes the glue binding her family together by improving her grades (per Lynn's constant requests) and seeing the "kira-kira," in the sea when the family visits California, the place Lynn dreamed of living one day.