Shiny

Author: (American) Kado Hata
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Kado Hata tells a gripping and heart-stirring story in fresh and elegant language, filled with the mischief and innocence of children, as well as wit and humor. There is also a subtle sadness and melancholy that runs throughout the book. — American Booksellers Association In young adult literary works, tragedy and comedy are often distinctly separate styles. This book masterfully blends the two and elevates them to an unprecedented artistic height. — The Boston Globe 2004 Best Young Adult Book in the U.S., 2005 Newbery Honor Book for Children, one of The New York Times' Top 10 Children's Bestsellers, and consistently ranked among the top on Amazon's bestseller list. This is a deeply moving work that portrays the profound love between family members and sisters. It is also a representative piece that expresses the loneliness and solitude of a dreamer who wanders far from home. Sister Lynn taught Katie the word "Kirakira," which means "sparkling" in Japanese. Katie loved the word! As she grew older, she used "sparkling" to describe everything she liked: the blue sky, the white snow, cute kittens and puppies, beautiful butterflies, colorful napkins, and so on. When Katie was ten, her family moved from Iowa, USA, to a small town in the southeastern part of Georgia. The hardships of daily life and the discrimination they faced from others cast a shadow over Katie's heart, but her sister taught her how to bravely face all adversities and strive to discover and appreciate the many beautiful things in life. The deep love that binds the family members also gave her immense courage and strength. Unfortunately, her sister later fell seriously ill, and Katie took meticulous care of her until her very last moment. The path of life is still long, and Katie is alone. Can she achieve the dream she shared with her sister all by herself? This book is the work of the most authoritative children's literature award in the U.S., the Newbery Award, which won the gold medal in 2005. After its release, it remained on The New York Times' Top 10 Children's Bestsellers list for several months and was frequently ranked among the top on Amazon's bestseller list. Susan Foster, chair of the Newbery Award Committee, praised the book by saying, "This dazzling book narrates Katie's childhood journey in a calm and composed tone, filled with the pains of poverty, discrimination, and family tragedy. While deeply captivating and moving, young readers also see the radiance of hope shining through the book's atmosphere of melancholy and humor."