In one sentence--simple, profound yet complex book that can be too depressing to pick up sometimes but always seem refreshing and beautiful every time you resolve to finally have another quick browse through. This book portrays a Japanese family that has migrated to Oregon and is moving to Iowa, United States. Constantly being forced to adapt and being exposed to different environments make Katie and her sister torn in translation between culture and identity as they hold on to each other for support. Though I first picked it up in 5th grade, I feel that the idealogy of "Kira-kira" and everything shining was an incredibly powerful metaphor for me following the sister's death due to malignant cancer. I feel that I need to write this because I feel the contrast between John Green and Cynthia Kadohata has to be acknowledged and pondered over. Kira Kira contains the conventions of great literature while Paper Towns and The Fault in our stars kind of fail to do. Papertowns overuses techniques but Kira Kira contains the "insert great words of literature here" blanks. As I'm reading Earth Dragon Fire Hare, I find that what makes a compelling story just like Kira Kira is often the small references or information that seems like just additional, unimportant details but overall have a drastic impact on the reader's "feel" of the novel. These small bits of information usually vary on the genre of the book. In Earth Dragon Fire Hare, it is these small references to the culture of British Malaya at the time that made it have a significant impact on me. One that particularly stood out was "rubber trees". Now after having read BOMB, I find myself being more and more able to recognize the small jewels that more non-fiction books or slightly more non-fiction books hold. Rubber trees are specific to asian culture because during that time there were these people called rubber tappers, and until today they are considered one of Singapore's lost memorabilia or sights that have been lost to history. I like these small references because they are able to conjure up powerful imagery and and I find that these small bits are the ones that overall create the foundation of non-fiction books. And sometimes when we assume that non-fiction is more facts, this is where we are wrong. Although Earth Dragon Fire Hare is not truly non-fiction like BOMB, it was written based on the essence of history that allowed it to have this impact on me right now. There are times when authors can convey just as powerful or even more compelling an idea or story through fiction, and on the other hand there are times when authors *ahem John Green, does not. His stories are more arbitrary based on typical situations and circumstances that are not embroided with the treasures of books like Kira Kira or Earth Dragon Fire Hare. Compared to Kira Kira's tireless shine that always seem to excite and cheer up, John Green's approach and novels make that "shine" or impression of the book during the first time you pick it up very exciting, however after that is like a precious jewel that's been polished and reveals a rock underneath. In other words, it is no use to the reader now.
Akhirnya saya bisa juga baca novel ini. Sejak lihat review novel ini di majalah, saya sudah naksir pengen tahu seperti apa jalan ceritanya..Dan ternyata bagus..Tema ceritanya menarik, karena sebelumnya saya belum pernah baca buku yang menceritakan suka duka kehidupan Imigran (terutama imigran jepang),jadi waktu membaca buku ini saya sangat menikmati jalan ceritanya.. Layak dibaca oleh siapapun.. ^_^Singkat cerita :Menjadi imigran di Amerika tidaklah mudah, juga bagi Katie Takeshima dan keluarganya. Apalagi saat keluarga Takeshima harus menutup toko makanan Asia yang mereka miliki di Iowa dan pindah ke Chesterfield, Georgia. Di sana orangtua Katie bekerja sebagai buruh peternakan ayam, berjuang mengumpulkan uang sedikit demi sedikit untuk membeli rumah. Di satu sisi juga harus berjuang untuk berasimilasi dengan masyarakat AS. Menghadapi prasangka dari sebagian masyarakat, menghadapi tatapan aneh dari orang-orang yang berpapasan dengan mereka di jalan, serta perlakuan yang kurang manusiawi terhadap buruh pabrik, profesi yang dijalani orangtua Katie.Beruntung ada Lynn, kakak Katie, yang selalu menjadikan hidup “bersinar” (kira-kira, dalam bahasa Jepang, alias glittering atau shining dalam bahasa Inggris). Kata itulah yang pertama dikenal Katie dari sang kakak. Lynn juga yang menjelaskan pada Katie kenapa orang-orang selalu berhenti dan menatap mereka saat berpapasan di jalan.Lynn-lah yang menjelaskan kepada Katie saat beberapa anak di sekolah tak mau berbicara pada mereka. Lynn juga, dengan cara uniknya memandang dunia, yang mengajar Katie melihat kehidupan jauh ke depan. Menjadi jembatan antar anggota keluarga dan selalu meyakinkan keluarganya bahwa selalu ada harapan bagi keluarga mereka untuk hidup lebih baik. Namun tak ada harapan bagi Lynn sendiri saat ia jatuh sakit. Keluarga mereka pun mulai pecah. Dan Katie-lah yang harus berusaha menyatukan kembali dan menunjukkan "kira-kira" dalam hidup pada keluarganya.Bersetting tahun 1950-an, Cynthia Kadohata, sang penulis, cukup cantik memaparkan persoalan yang dihadapi keluarga imigran Jepang di AS serta hubungan kakak beradik, Katie dan Lynn, serta saudara laki-laki mereka, Sammy. Sebagian besar kisah yang ada di novel ini merupakan kejadian nyata, begitu juga hubungan yang ada, khususnya hubungan antara Katie dan Lynn.review dari deeyand.multiply.comI say : Saya agak kurang sreg dengan cover bukunya. Bayangan saya covernya gak jauh beda dengan cover buku terbitan Simon & Schuster. Kesannya simple banget dan minim desain. Jadinya isi bukunya tak terwakili oleh cover.. Tapi ceritanya saya suka banget..Sembari membaca saya membayangkan keadaan yang dialami Katie dan keluarganya di era tahun 50-an, dimana perbedaan ras bangsa masih menjadi persoalan yang serius..yang pada akhirnya menyengsarakan kaum imigran itu sendiri..
What do You think about Kira-Kira (2006)?
Here are some of the things I thought about when reading this book:1. The relationship between Katie Takeshima and her older sister Lynn reminded me of my own relationship with my little sister. Katie worships Lynn and does everything she tells her, thinking Lynn is a genius. I think my sister worshiped me too as a kid (I'm convinced she still does, but don't tell her I said that), although I may not be as perfect and protective and full of guidance as Lynn is. My sister also once told me I was smart. I believe her.2. One of the reasons this book piqued my interest is because the title can be a pun. 'Kira-kira' in Indonesian means 'supposedly, approximately, in estimation'. Puns are always fun, aren't they?3. Another reason I was interested in this book is because of the original meaning of 'kira-kira' in Japanese, which is 'glittering'. My little sister studied Japanese literature, and we are both quite familiar with Japanese entertainment. In the book Lynn used 'kira-kira' to describe the sky, the sea, and people's eyes. But my sister and I have heard the term being used to describe people -- not just women, but men as well. Some Japanese men can be very glittery. 4. I read the book and enjoyed it. Right after that I read another children's book, A Little Princess. I enjoyed it even better. I've decided to read more children's books that I have never got the chance to read in my childhood. After all, I was born on the 23rd of July, which is National Children's Day in my country. Which means all the children in the country celebrate my birthday every year. Therefore, the running joke in my family is that I am forever a child. I think that is a rather good thing.
—Dini
This is by far one of the loveliest books I have read in a long time! I can't remember when I last cried over a children's book, but this touching story about a young Japanese-American girl definitely made me shed a tear or two. Katie and her family, including big sister Lynn and little brother Sammy, live in a small town in Georgia during a time when looking different means low-paying jobs and unaffordable housing. Katie's parents eventually end up working multiple factory jobs to support the family, and the situation worsens when Lynn becomes mysteriously ill. In spite of the family's hardships, Katie's quirky way of looking at life makes this book a cheerful read. Even a sad ending brings a smile to the reader's face, simply because it is so lyrically spun by the author through Katie's voice. I absolutely adored this book, and I can't wait to share it with my students. I know that they will laugh out loud at times when they read about the crazy predicaments that Katie manages to get herself into, but they might also cry when they find out what happens to this amazing family.
—Julia M
I agree with the reviewer who said (in a review from January 2010): "Dear Yankees, the word "y'all" is a contraction of "you all" and it is plural." It was mind-numbingly annoying that Katie used it when addressing a single person with regularity. Kadohata claims she lived in the South when she was young; I can only guess it was for a very short time, a long time ago and she has not returned. Any young child who regularly heard people use this expression correctly and who would pick up the accent as Katie is supposed to have done would also use the expression correctly.There is nothing poetic or vivid about the prose here. It verges on the pedestrian. The plot offers nothing that I did not see in afterschool specials when I was in junior high...except the characters are of Japanese descent. It was predictable and poorly paced and really quite maudlin. This is the weakest of the 33 Newbery winners I've read so far. Not heinous, just not award material--especially not "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" of the year. Good for bibliotherapy when dealing with grieving girls who might identify with Katie...but not much else.I was at the awards ceremony when this won and I searched bookstores on the way home for a copy hoping to read it before everyone else (it was a surprise winner); I'm glad I didn't waste my money on it. (Oh, and I have been a member of the Newbery Committee too & will be again).
—Tim
