A Single Shard
by Linda Sue Park
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Read in October, 2005
recommends it for:
Sabina
Author: Linda Sue Park
Title: A Single Shard
Genre: Korean historical fiction
Publication Info: Dell Yearling. New York. 2001.
Recommended Age: 10 and older
Plot Summary: Tree-ear is a 12-year-old orphan. He lives with Crane-man underneath a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, Korea. Crane-man was born crippled, so he gets around with the help of a crutch he made himself. The Buddhist monks brought Tree-ear to Crane-man when he was only two years old. They feed each other by finding mushrooms in the ...more
Title: A Single Shard
Genre: Korean historical fiction
Publication Info: Dell Yearling. New York. 2001.
Recommended Age: 10 and older
Plot Summary: Tree-ear is a 12-year-old orphan. He lives with Crane-man underneath a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, Korea. Crane-man was born crippled, so he gets around with the help of a crutch he made himself. The Buddhist monks brought Tree-ear to Crane-man when he was only two years old. They feed each other by finding mushrooms in the ...more
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An unusual story and uncommon setting mixed with a strong protagonist makes A Single Shard a high-quality work of historical fiction written by Linda Sue Park. Set in Korea during the 12th century, a homeless boy’s life gains meaning as he works for a potter and eventually finds a calling and a family.
Tree-ear is a 12-year-old orphan who lives under a bridge in a seaside village with an elderly crippled man who cared for him as a child. Now that Tree-ear is growing up he longs for a pur...more
Tree-ear is a 12-year-old orphan who lives under a bridge in a seaside village with an elderly crippled man who cared for him as a child. Now that Tree-ear is growing up he longs for a pur...more
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Read in June, 2008
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Read in February, 2007
Set in 12th century Korea, this book offers a glimpse into an ancient and ritualized society through the memorable and touching story of a young orphan boy and his foster father, an elderly hermit.
Detailed and charming, the story is effective on several levels.
Although certainly simple enough for the young readers who are it's intended audience, it has a universal message speaking to the innate desire in every person for a sense of belonging.
All ages will also find a fascinating and remark...more
Detailed and charming, the story is effective on several levels.
Although certainly simple enough for the young readers who are it's intended audience, it has a universal message speaking to the innate desire in every person for a sense of belonging.
All ages will also find a fascinating and remark...more
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Read in February, 2008
recommended to Shrina by:
Lisa Durstrecommends it for: parents
Wow! I have read some good "children's books", but this one is outstanding. What a story about an orphan in the Koryo period of Korea (12th century). Even today, orphans are deemed unlucky, so one could imagine what this boy (Tree Ear) had to go through, living under a bridge with a disabled man (Crane Man). Disability was also seen as unlucky. By unlucky, I mean the people who were considered almost untouchable. Children were afraid of them. Adults wouldn't associate with them....more
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Read in February, 2007
A Single Shard is set in 12th century Korea. The story is about Tree Ear, an orphan boy, who lives with Crane-man, an old man with only one good leg. The two are homeless and live under a bridge. They are not beggars however, and try to live with dignity and honor. Tree Ear loves to secretly watch a master potter at work and one day ruins a piece by accident. He confesses his crime and works for the potter to pay for the damage. Eventually he is grudgingly taken on as a regular worker and ...more
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Read in October, 2006
This is a 2002 Newberry Medal Award Winner in Juvenile fiction. It is a story of a 10-year old, homeless orphan named Tree-ear in 12th century Korea. He lives under a bridge with another homeless man, Crane-man, who has taken care of him for years. They struggle to eat and stay warm but this 10-year old has a secret indulgence...he goes and watches a master potter work at his wheel. One day, he finds the potter gone but notices several of his pieces drying on a shelf. He goes in for a closer loo...more
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A Single Shard is an admirable piece of historical fiction. Park uses simple language but infuses each paragraph with meaning. Her description of the grueling process required to make celadon pottery engrosses the reader. Park also pays great attention to the historical accuracy of the Koryo time period. She includes an author’s note at the end of the book which gives the origin of her references and additional information about celadon pottery and Korean culture.
In light of Park’s vivi...more
In light of Park’s vivi...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Sarah by:
My son (his 4th grade class read it)recommends it for: anyone willing to think about what we choose to do with the circumstances we are given.
A Single Shard deals with some really great themes about relationships, what makes a family, sacrifice, perservering, and how to think creatively.
Tree Ear is a ten year old orphan being cared for by the disabled Crane-Man. They live under a bridge and try to do the best they can for each other. Tree Ear is fascinated by the local potters and Min (the best) in particular. When he accidentally breaks a vase of Min's he offers to work for him to pay back the cost of the vase.
Despite Tree...more
Tree Ear is a ten year old orphan being cared for by the disabled Crane-Man. They live under a bridge and try to do the best they can for each other. Tree Ear is fascinated by the local potters and Min (the best) in particular. When he accidentally breaks a vase of Min's he offers to work for him to pay back the cost of the vase.
Despite Tree...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommended to Megan by:
Children's Literature classrecommends it for: 6th grade +
The author's note made me really enjoy this book. I had somewhat of a hard time getting into this book because of the details in the pottery making. This is not a hobby of mine or something that I care to know about in detail (even though I enjoy looking at final products), so some parts of the book seemed to drag for me. However, when I got to the end and found out about the history of the pottery, the time period, and the area, I found the entire story much more interesting.
As I was readin...more
As I was readin...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
Young Adults
A Single Shard is about an orphan boy called Tree-ear who’s parent’s died from fever and now lives with Crane-man under the bridge. Tree-ear is fascinated by pottery and especially potter Min’s skill. So Tree-ear comes to work for Min and the story has its twists and turns that make it a story!
I didn’t like this book that much because I thought it was a little too slow. I think it could have been a lot faster through some of the non-important parts. I do though think that the book ha...more
I didn’t like this book that much because I thought it was a little too slow. I think it could have been a lot faster through some of the non-important parts. I do though think that the book ha...more
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Read in June, 2008
Tree-Ear is an orphan, about the age of twelve, that lives under a bridge with Crane-Man. When he's not scavaging for food, he likes to watch the local potter on his potting wheel. One day the potter catches Tree-Ear admiring some of his work, and when he startles Tree-Ear he accidently drops the piece and damages it. Tree-Ear pays off his debt by working for the potter, and continues to do so once his debt is paid in hopes that one day the potter will teach him the trade. When a local emiss...more
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The single shard is a historical fiction. This book is laid in the 12th century. It is about Tree Ear (see the description below,) who one day sees Min (see the description below,) making pots and Tree ear falls in love with the art of pottery and goes inside the shop one day and suddenly Min appears and Tree Ear breaks something and now he is in debt with Min. He will work nine days to repay the damage that he made. After the ninth day Tree Ear comes to ask if he can continue working for Min b...more
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Read in January, 2007
This book, though written for younger readers, is an amazing look about the importance of something that is created by the master's hand. Life is full of critisism about what we do and don't do. Society is constantly comparing us to others and saying that we don't measure up. In this story there is much that the orphan boy Tree-ear learns from the master potter. After his perilous journey to take the master's work to the Emperial City he arrives with only a single shard of a pot to present. ...more
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Read in April, 2005
A bittersweet, poignant book about a pair of homeless friends, a crippled man, "Crane Man", and an orphaned boy, "Tree Ear", in ancient, feudal Korea. The boy's dream of becoming a potter seems hopeless, as this traditional society has strict rules by which crafts and trades are handed down from father to son. Only the son of a potter can become a potter.
Not only that, orphans are shunned socially, and destined to live on the periphery of society, eating what they can scr...more
Not only that, orphans are shunned socially, and destined to live on the periphery of society, eating what they can scr...more
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Read in April, 2007
Set in 12th century Korea an orphan boy names Tree-ear spends his free time watching the villages best potter from the cover of the surrounding woods. On one occasion when the potter is thought to not be home Tree-ear sneaks up to the house to examine the drying pots and when discovered by the master potter Min he drops a piece because he is startled. To repay his debt he begins his work for the master for nine days, and chooses to stay on for no pay in hope the master will take him as an appren...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
everyone
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a book about an orphan who has no home. This boy nicknamed, Tree-ear, has no home, no real family, he is poor, and he has to work for his master in Korea. This book is still awesome because eventhough Tree-ear doesn't have anything real, he has his wishes, hopes, and hobbies. Tree-ear is a strong boy that doesn;t care about being a slave or having no place to live, he ignores all of that and he wants to learn to make pottery. Tree-ear can i...more
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Read in March, 2005
As a middle school English teacher I enjoyed sharing this book with my students because it exposed them to some culture that was definitely outside of their white bread, upper class, private school shelter. As an avid reader I enjoyed this book because it exposed me to a culture outside of my familiarity as well. The story is told with an endearing frankness that makes you care about each one of these characters and helps you realize the fragility of each life and how it adds or detracts from ...more
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Read in July, 2001
recommends it for:
teens
This novel won a well-deserved Newbery Medal.
Tree-ear is a 12-year-old orphan with big dreams. He dreams of becoming a potter. He spies on master potter Min and eventually convinces Min to take him on as an assistant. When the emperor announces that he is looking for a Royal Potter, Tree-Ear is given the task of delivering two vases (examples of Min's best work) to the palace.
Even though the vases break along the way, Tree-Ear refuses to give up and manages to deliver a single shar...more
Tree-ear is a 12-year-old orphan with big dreams. He dreams of becoming a potter. He spies on master potter Min and eventually convinces Min to take him on as an assistant. When the emperor announces that he is looking for a Royal Potter, Tree-Ear is given the task of delivering two vases (examples of Min's best work) to the palace.
Even though the vases break along the way, Tree-Ear refuses to give up and manages to deliver a single shar...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
young adults
This book is about a orphan boy named Tree-ear that is around twelve years old. The Tree-ear has a hard life with a friend and mentor named Crane-man, there both poor and live under a bridge in town. Tree-ear loves watching a potter named Min work and one day decides to take a closer look. He accidentally ruins one of Min's work and to repay him he says that he can work for Min, hoping that hell learn the ways of the potter. I liked this book and at first thought it was a little strange but then...more
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