Author
Cynthia Kadohata
2 books here

Kira-Kira
Middle grade · ages 10–14 · 730L · 2004
A Newbery winner that earns it—poignant without sentimentality, and the only book in this age range that teaches a child what it means to grieve a sibling while honoring their legacy.

The Thing About Luck
Middle grade · ages 10–14 · 780L · 2013
A quiet, deeply observed portrait of a Japanese American family during wheat harvest—grounded, funny in small ways, and genuinely unusual in its setting and cultural specificity.