“Starfish” by Akemi Dawn Bowman is a novel that portrays a girl, Kiko Himura, who is disheartened with herself. After staying with her tragic family, she has lost her voice and hope for her happiness. In order for Kiko to regain her happiness and her voice, she must lose to win. Hiroshi, Jaime, and her passion for art has been a game changer in her life by helping her find who she is again.

 First of all, Hiroshi has guided and helped Kiko build who she is today. Hiroshi embraced his culture, showing Kiko it was okay to be different. Hiroshi had told Kikothat he loved and cared for his family tremendously because he grew up not being loved. With this thought, Kiko had learned she did not want to resent her mother when she was older. In the epilogue, Kiko had painted on a canvas showing Hiroshi painting her hands, so she could paint her voice (Bowman, 339-340). With all said, Hiroshi had impacted Kiko’s life tremendously.

 Furthermore, Jaime has been a great supporter of Kiko. After Emery, one of Kiko’s friend, left, Jaime has been with Kiko on her journey of changing. Even seeing Kiko’s worse, Jaime still has the decency to stay with her. This sparked a fire in each other’s heart and soon became each other’s person (Bowman, 273). Kiko had found comfort and happiness being around Jaime, so much that she has depended on Jaime for everything. Later in the the book, Kiko had learned how to find her own independence with the guidance of Jaime (Bowman, 283).

 Finally, Kiko’s passion for art has been her way of escaping reality. It helped her express what she felt and experienced in her life (Bowman, 339). After traumatic events, abuse, and family issues, Kiko has thrived in expressing herself. Hiroshi’s and Kiko’s passion for art had put Kiko back on her feet after unwanted situations. Kiko had suffered and dwelled on many devastating events. In which, she became braver and fearless.

 In other words, Hiroshi, Jaime, and Kiko’s passion for art has changed Kiko for good. After meeting Hiroshi and Jaime, she has been able to thrive without the Starfish. With Kiko’s positive changes, she had discovered who she truly was. Kiko may have relied on others, but later she realized she had to become independent. The lesson the author, Akemi Dawn Bowman, would like to share is you are not alone, there are many ways to be beautiful, and even if you are not born with the parents you needed, you are still able to find family in your friendships (Bowman, Akemi Dawn. Personal Interview. 7 Feb. 2019).