Who's News
February 28, 2005
TFK Talks With Cynthia Kadohata
The author's first children's book is this year's Newbery winner
 |
Kira-Kira, the title of the first children's book by Cynthia Kadohata, comes from the Japanese word for glittering. On January 17, the book won the American Library Association's Newbery Medal, the top prize for children's writing. The book, about a Japanese-American girl growing up in the South, is loosely based on the author's childhood. 'Write what you love and know,' Kadohata told TFK. 'Don't think about what somebody else would like.'
TFK: What inspired you to write this book?
Kadohata: One thing that inspired me was thinking about my childhood. I guess my childhood is something that has inspired me to do a lot of my writing. It’s funny, because while I was living my childhood I never dreamed that any of it was future writing material. But I think all of us, no matter what we do and where we live, have fascinating childhoods. So there is always something to write about.
 |  The cover of the Newbery medal winner, 'Kira-Kira.' |
Kadohata: My editor had been pushing me to write a children’s novel. She sent me some packages of children’s books to read. Then I started reading other children’s books from the library or bookstore. After I read them, it seemed like a natural decision to write a children’s novel.
TFK: How does it feel to win the Newberry Award on your first try?
Kadohata: Winning the Newbery is TOTALLY kira-kira!
TFK: In Japanese, the word 'kira-kira,' means 'glittering,' and in the book, it is used to describe everything that Katie likes. What types of things are kira-kira to you?
Kadohata: My son’s eyes, my boyfriend, my dog, sitting outside when the sky is blue, traveling by road, and seeing the sky in the countryside where the stars are bright. I live in the Los Angeles area and I usually can’t see a lot of bright stars at night.
I also love sushi and tacos, but I wouldn’t say those are 'kira-kira' exactly!
TFK: I understand that this book is loosely based on your own experiences growing up. What message would you like to send to kids who feel 'different' or that don't 'fit in'?
Kadohata: That’s a great question! I guess I would want those kids to know that the world is full of hope and beauty, and the hope and beauty has nothing to do with whether you fit in. And sometimes you have to seek out the beauty; it doesn’t come to you. Other times it comes to you in surprising moments, like when you suddenly feel the wind on your face and it just makes you feel happy. If you can appreciate those moments in your life, it won’t matter whether or not you’re different or don’t fit in.
TFK: What is the message behind Kira-Kira?
Kadohata: The message behind Kira-Kira is that life is complicated, but wonderful, and you should never lose the ability to feel wonder over even the smallest thing.
TFK: This book has strong female characters (Katie, her sister, and her mother). Was it important for you to give your female characters a strong voice?
Kadohata: I guess I didn’t think about it because it happened naturally as I wrote the book.
TFK: Who are the strong female characters in your own life?
Kadohata: My mother was a strong female character from my life.
TFK: Who are your female role models?
Kadohata: Hmm, I think I’ve learned a lot from a lot of different people, so it’s hard to say who exactly are my role models.
TFK: Who are your own favorite female authors?
Kadohata: Off the top of my head, Lois Lowry and Hilary McKay and Linda Sue Park are all wonderful. Actually, there are many others.
TFK: What made you want to become an author?
Kadohata: It seems like I had a hunger inside and the only way to feed it was to write.
TFK: What is your favorite thing about being an author?
Kadohata: My single most favorite thing ever was getting the call from the Newbery Committee. But on a daily basis, my favorite thing is sitting outside with my dog working on a manuscript. Actually, I’m sitting outside with her as I write this.
TFK: What is the most frustrating thing?
Kadohata: That you spend half your life being broke.
TFK: Who are your favorite children's book authors and which are your favorite children's books?
Kadohata: When I was a child (and still today) I loved The Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London; King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry; and The Diamond in the Window by Jane Langton. There was also a book I remember fondly called Loretta Mason Potts. It’s about a girl who suddenly becomes feral and her mother doesn’t know why. And it turns out the girl has discovered a world of miniature people who think it’s delightful and amusing when she acts bad. I think I related to her because I went through a stage as a child when I had a bad temper.
