Kira-Kira
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Kira-Kira is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Grade range
- Grades 4–7
- Pages
- 264
- Reading time
- about 4h 50m (est.)
- First published
- 2005
- ISBN-13
- 9780439799416
Where to find this book
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About this book
Chronicles the close friendship between two Japanese-American sisters growing up in rural Georgia during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and the despair when one sister becomes terminally ill. kira-kira (kee' ra kee' ra): glittering; shining Glittering. That's how Katie 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 desperately ill, and the whole family
Where this book is assigned
Newbery Medal
- recommended·4th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2005 Newbery Medal
- recommended·5th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2005 Newbery Medal
- recommended·6th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2005 Newbery Medal
- recommended·7th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2005 Newbery Medal
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See all books like Kira-Kira→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Kira-Kira?
- Kira-Kira is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- How long does it take to read Kira-Kira?
- It takes about 4h 50m to read Kira-Kira (264 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 290 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Kira-Kira?
- Kira-Kira appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Kira-Kira banned in schools?
- Kira-Kira does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 4–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner.