A Single Shard

Author: Linda Sue Park
Publisher: Clarion Books
Copyright Date: 2001
Number of Pages: 148
Reading Level: Ages 9-12






Summary: Tree-ear is a young man that lives on the streets. He was left there with Crane-man, a homeless man that lives under the bridge, at a very young age. Crane-man taught him how to be respectful and honest and to work hard for things. Tree-ear had always had a fascination with pottery making and he liked to watch the old potters at work. One day he was sneakily watching Min, the best potter in the village, when Min went back to the house. Tree-ear snuck out of his hiding place to examine the potters work. Then Min appeared out of nowhere and started beating the boy for stealing. In shock the boy dropped the potters work. Tree-ear began to work for the potter to repay him for his accident. He works for him for nine days chopping wood. At the end of the nine days Tree-ear goes back to the potter and asks if he could help him regularly. The potter agrees and the boy begins to work for him. Tree-ear began to learn more and more about making pottery. Then it is heard throughout the village that the great emissary would be coming to look at the potters work and grant a commission. All of the potters begin to prepare, including Min. On his way to the potters house Tree-ear sees that one of the other potters is up to something. He eventually finds out that the other potter has learned a new skill and he begins to worry for Min. When the emissary comes and examines everyones work he stays at the other potters stand the longest but he likes Min's work the most. A month later the emissary has chosen the other potter for his new technique but he visit's Min and tells him that if he brings a work to him at the capital he would change his mind. The Potter first dispares knowing that at his age it would be an impossible task to travel to the capital. Then Tree-ear offers to do it for him. They begin their work to create the new works. When they are ready Crane-man, Min, and the old potters wife see him off and he begins his journey. Everything goes seemingly well until Tree-ear is attacked by bandits that think his pack is full of rice. When they discover that they are just pots they throw them over the edge of a cliff. Still, Tree-ear goes down and recovers a single shard that shows the potters new technique. He brings it to the emissary and a commission is granted to Min. In the end, the potter and his wife accept Min as their son when he returns and Crane-man is killed.

Personal Response: I think that this book was amazingly well-written. I thought that this story would be boring because it is about pottery makers, but I came to appreciate the art and the people that created them and still do. This book is a great tool to help others be empathetic.

Potential Problems: This books portrays a homeless boy struggling to find food, without a home or family. Also, the man that raised him is killed at the end.

Recommended to: I would recommend this to anyone young or old. It is a fantastic book and could be enjoyed at all ages. However, I would not recommend it to younger children as they would not understand it and they would probably not be interested in it.