Kira-Kira handelt von einer japanisch-amerikanischen Familie, die in den 1950er Jahren in Georgia lebte. Die Geschichte wird durch die Augen der jungen Katie erzählt, die voller Staunen und Unfug ist und ihre ältere Schwester Lynn verehrt. Ihre Eltern arbeiten in einer Geflügelverarbeitungsfabrik und der Leser erhält einen Einblick in die ungerechten Arbeitsbedingungen der damaligen Zeit sowie den Rassismus, dem Katie und ihre Familie als eine der wenigen japanisch-amerikanischen Familien in der Stadt ausgesetzt waren.
Die Schüler können die Handlung von Kira-Kira in einem 6-Zellen-Storyboard zusammenfassen und veranschaulichen, das die Exposition und den Konflikt, die steigende Aktion, den Höhepunkt oder Wendepunkt, die fallende Aktion und die Auflösung hervorhebt.
Storyboard-Text
KIRA-KIRA by Cynthia Kahdohata
EXPOSITION / CONFLICT
RISING ACTION
Kira-Kira is a story about a young girl named Katie Takeshima growing up in Georgia in the 1950s in one of the only Japanese American families in her small town. Katie has a very special bond with her older sister Lynn who teaches her everything including the meaning of Kira-Kira: the Japanese word for glittering or sparkling.
CLIMAX / TURNING POINT
Katie moves from Iowa to Georgia with her mother, father, and sister. Her Uncle Son has a job there and was able to get her parents jobs in a poultry processing plant. The family lives in a modest apartment in a building with other people who work at the plant. The Takeshimas are one of only a few Japanese American families in town. The girls face racism at school and the parents face harsh working conditions.
FALLING ACTION
Katie and Lynn are best of friends and do everything together. When their brother Sam is born, Lynn helps take care of Katie and Katie helps take care of Sam. Lynn is often unwell but despite this, she is top of her class and has big dreams for her future. One day, the children are picnicking on the vast property of the poultry plant owner Mr. Lyndon. Little Sam gets caught in a bear trap and is badly injured!
RESOLUTION
Lynn's bouts of illness steadily get worse and it is revealed that she has Lymphoma. The parents work non stop at the poultry plant in order to buy a house so that Lynn can live in the house of her dreams in the hopes that it will help make her better. Katie constantly cares for Lynn and does what she can to help the family. Unfortunately, Lynn succumbs to her illness.
Mr. Takeshima is overwhelmed with grief at Lynn's passing. He and his wife have barely any time off because of harsh working conditions at the plant. He is also enraged that his son was injured by a bear trap on Mr. Lyndon's property. In his grief, he smashes Mr. Lyndon's car and drives away. He would have gotten away with it but to show Katie to always do what is right, he admits his mistake to Mr. Lyndon, who fires him.
In the end, Mr. Takeshima gets another job in a different plant. After Lynn's passing the family grieves for many months. One day, Katie's father suggests they go on a trip to help with their sorrows. Katie suggests going to the sea where Lynn had always dreamed of going. There, they find peace looking at the world and all its natural beauty through Lynn's eyes, seeing magic in everything.