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Newbery discussion: Kira-Kira
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From: Megan Schliesman <Schliesman>
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 14:02:09 -0600
One of the things that I found absolutely stunning about Kira-Kira was the voice. Here is a book that coves almost ten years in the life of a child, from the time she is almost five until she is a teenager. As Katie matures, her own understanding of individuals, relationships and events changes and deepens. These things are really and truly revealed for us as readers.
One of my favorite examples of this is how she--and we as readers--see and undestand Uncle Katsu. When he is first introducted, he is comical, almost a buffoon to Katie and Lynn. As Katie grows older, she sees and learns more about her uncle. He can still be comical and funny, but he is also a man of great dignity, with such poignancy in his life as well.
Katie discovers he wants to be a surveyor. Several years later, she learns that his dream will never be realized in a place where he can never find a job because of racism. We see how he interacts with his family--with impatience and annoyance at times. And in the turn of a page, he is in the kitchen, arms around his wife after Katie's parents call and first give news of the gravity of Lynn's illness.
And then there is Uncle Katsu after Lynn's death, in an essential scene that ties all aspects of his character together, and is also so critical to Katy. He has come into the room that Katie and Lynn shared and talks to Katy about Buddhist spiritual beliefs and gives her the box he made for an altar. Then Katie calls out to him:
" 'What is it, sweetheart?'
'Are you happy now? I don't mean today, I mean in general.'
He paused, and I could see he was really thinking. He turned both of his ears inside out at the same time. Pop! Pop! 'Yes, I would say that, all in all, today I'm a happy man. It's not always easy, but yes, I am.'
"
So for me personally, the way in which Cynthia Kadohata let this story unfold through Katie's eyes and voice was extraordinary.
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, UW-Madison 600 N. Park St., Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
ph: 608&2?03 fax: 608&2I33 schliesman at education.wisc.edu
It's nice to hear so many positive comments about Kira-Kira, but I just don't get it? What makes this book a Newbery winner? What I read was an unengaging story that didn't seem to have much meat to it. The setting/time period/issues struck me as potentially interesting but under?veloped. The sister's illness and death seem to me to have been better done before (Lois Lowry's A Summer to Die, for example, and yes, I know the Committee can't look at or consider anything but this year's crop). I truly do not understand how this is the "most distinguished" book for children this year. Could someone please explain it? I realize it could just be me and not the book, but a good friend who's opinion I value had the same reaction I did. Sorry not to be raving about it, but that's my reaction. Someone care to try to change my mind?
Ellen Greever School of Info Studies UW-Milwaukee
Received on Thu 17 Feb 2005 02:02:09 PM CST
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 14:02:09 -0600
One of the things that I found absolutely stunning about Kira-Kira was the voice. Here is a book that coves almost ten years in the life of a child, from the time she is almost five until she is a teenager. As Katie matures, her own understanding of individuals, relationships and events changes and deepens. These things are really and truly revealed for us as readers.
One of my favorite examples of this is how she--and we as readers--see and undestand Uncle Katsu. When he is first introducted, he is comical, almost a buffoon to Katie and Lynn. As Katie grows older, she sees and learns more about her uncle. He can still be comical and funny, but he is also a man of great dignity, with such poignancy in his life as well.
Katie discovers he wants to be a surveyor. Several years later, she learns that his dream will never be realized in a place where he can never find a job because of racism. We see how he interacts with his family--with impatience and annoyance at times. And in the turn of a page, he is in the kitchen, arms around his wife after Katie's parents call and first give news of the gravity of Lynn's illness.
And then there is Uncle Katsu after Lynn's death, in an essential scene that ties all aspects of his character together, and is also so critical to Katy. He has come into the room that Katie and Lynn shared and talks to Katy about Buddhist spiritual beliefs and gives her the box he made for an altar. Then Katie calls out to him:
" 'What is it, sweetheart?'
'Are you happy now? I don't mean today, I mean in general.'
He paused, and I could see he was really thinking. He turned both of his ears inside out at the same time. Pop! Pop! 'Yes, I would say that, all in all, today I'm a happy man. It's not always easy, but yes, I am.'
"
So for me personally, the way in which Cynthia Kadohata let this story unfold through Katie's eyes and voice was extraordinary.
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, UW-Madison 600 N. Park St., Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
ph: 608&2?03 fax: 608&2I33 schliesman at education.wisc.edu
It's nice to hear so many positive comments about Kira-Kira, but I just don't get it? What makes this book a Newbery winner? What I read was an unengaging story that didn't seem to have much meat to it. The setting/time period/issues struck me as potentially interesting but under?veloped. The sister's illness and death seem to me to have been better done before (Lois Lowry's A Summer to Die, for example, and yes, I know the Committee can't look at or consider anything but this year's crop). I truly do not understand how this is the "most distinguished" book for children this year. Could someone please explain it? I realize it could just be me and not the book, but a good friend who's opinion I value had the same reaction I did. Sorry not to be raving about it, but that's my reaction. Someone care to try to change my mind?
Ellen Greever School of Info Studies UW-Milwaukee
Received on Thu 17 Feb 2005 02:02:09 PM CST