Character 1: Kira

   Kira is the main character and protagonist in Gathering Blue. According to the novel, she has a twisted leg, which makes it difficult for her to walk. This disability earns her ridicule, making her life all the harder.
   She is very resilient, strong willed, and even courageous. She lives in a village where the imperfect are cast away, left in a field to be devoured by wildlife in the dead of night. Her imperfection is the only one in the village, which is why she is made fun of, abused by the villagers, and almost killed by a antagonist in the story, Vandara.
   She is very skilled with a needle and thread, being taught by her mother, who repaired the Singer's robe after every annual retelling of their history. She cannot run, but she is strong. When she threads she can feel the way to do things, without even knowing it. Her hand follows a preconceived route. The book says,"In one astounding burst of creativity, her ability had gone far beyond her mother's teaching. Now, without instruction or practice, without hesitancy, her fingers felt the way to twist and weave and stitch the special threads together to create designs rich and explosive with color."
   Kira is a special girl, with a special talent. She is not one to cause trouble, and barely escapes with her life simply because she was not a physically able as any other member of the village.

Original book cover. Image courtesy of google.com
Quote courtesy of Gathering Blue, written by Lois Lowry.