kira-kira.

kira-kira (kee'ra kee'ra): glittering; shining

Glittering.That's how Katie's Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare. And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desparately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering-- kira-kira-- in the future. {from the cover}

i loved it. it reminded me a little of sharon creech's writing {walk two moons, the wanderer}, which i also love. katie is sweet and unintentionally funny and i really fell in love with her and the whole Takeshima family. the story was beautifully written. i laughed and cried. therefore, i loved it :)

{this was a newberry award winner. it's really light, young adult reading. perfect for me. i keep getting bogged down in long, wordy books because these days it's hard for me to read more than a few pages without being interrupted by a sweet sweet baby girl!}