A Single Shard Book Review

 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Park, L. (2001). A SINGLE SHARD. Clarion Books.  ISBN: 978-0-547-53426-8


2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This novel is about Tree-ear, an orphan who lives under a bridge with Crane-man. While watching the potter, Min, from afar, Tree-ear breaks a piece of pottery in his shop. Indebted to Min, Tree-ear works as his assistant, hoping to learn how to create his own pottery pieces. When Min is chosen to possibly commission pieces for the royal palace, Tree-ear makes the journey to see the emissary. This dangerous journey and what follows shows that you shouldn’t give up on your dreams. 


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The characters in A Single Shard are Korean and live in the village of Ch’ulp’o. Tree-ear is an orphan who is taken care of by Crane-man. Both live under the bridge and rely on scavenging and foraging for food. Min is a local potter to whom Tree-ear is indebted to after breaking a piece of pottery. After the 9 days are up, Tree-ear finds a way to stick around while also procuring meals for him and Crane-man. Min’s wife gives Tree-ear extra food in the evenings and provides warm clothing for the harsh winter. Tree-ear calls Min Honrable Potter and his wife Most Honrable Potter’s wife. She later asks Tree-ear to call her Ajima, which is aunt in Korean. He also bowed low, which is a form of respect in Korean culture. The monks take care of the poor by handing out food and clothes.

The setting of the story is in Ch’ulp’o, which is a village in Korea. The time period is the 12th century. Tree-ear and Crane-man live under a bridge in the spring through fall, then in a vegetable pit during the winter months. Tree-ear travels to the capital city of Songdo and travels through mountains, and climbs the Rock of the Falling Flowers. While in the capital city, Tree-ear goes to the royal palace to speak with the emissary of the kingdom. The emissary had the job of choosing the best artists to commission works of art for the royals

References to Asian Pacific culture are woven throughout the book in thoughtful ways. First is the appreciation of pottery. The village that Tree-ear lives in has many potters who are considered for a commission for the royal family. The celadon pottery is a green glaze that has to be fired at just the right temperature in the kiln. Buddhist monks are also spoken of throughout the book. The monks were to take care of the orphaned and sick, but Tree-ear and Crane-man preferred to live under the bridge. When Tree-man travels to the palace to showcase his master’s pottery, the royal palace and places known to those familiar with Korea are mentioned. 

There are many Korean words used in the book, including jiggeh, the names of the characters, and the city names of Ch’ulp’o and the capital city of Songdo. Crane-man tells Tree-ear to climb the rock of falling flowers, which is referenced to by Park in author notes as a traditional folk tale in Korea. 


4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

  • ALA Notable Children's Books, 2002

  • Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor, 2003

  • Book Links, 04/01/03

  • Booklist starred, 04/01/01

  • Five Owls, 06/20/03

  • Kirkus Reviews starred, 01/15/01

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, 2002

  • Newbery Medal, 2002

  • Publishers Weekly starred, 03/05/01

  • School Library Journal starred, 05/01/01

  • Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), 04/01/02

  • Wilson's Children, 10/01/10

  • Wilson's Junior High School, 01/09/10

Full-Text Reviews
Booklist starred (April 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 15))

Gr. 4-8. When the polite greeting in a society is "Have you eaten well today?'one may guess that subsistence is of prime concern. Surely no one in this twelfth-century Korean village is more accustomed to hunger than the orphan boy Tree-ear and his guardian Crane-man who is lame. They sleep under a bridge in summer and in a pit in winter, eating what they can forage in the woods or garbage piles. At the age of 12, Tree-ear becomes an assistant to the potter Min. A hard taskmaster to himself and the boy, Min is the maker of the finest celadon ware in Ch'ul'po, a village known for its pottery. When Min entrusts two precious pots to Tree-ear to deliver to Songdo, the boy must make his way across miles of unknown territory, relying on his courage and wits to prove himself worthy of Min's trust. This quiet, but involving, story draws readers into a very different time and place. Though the society has its own conventions, the hearts and minds and stomachs of the characters are not so far removed from those of people today. Readers will feel the hunger and cold that Tree-ear experiences, as well as his shame, fear, gratitude, and love. A well-crafted novel with an unusual setting.



  • 5. CONNECTIONS

Park, L. (2000). THE KITE FIGHTERS. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 978-0-329-80266-0

Watkins, Y. (2008). SO FAR FROM THE BAMBOO GROVE. Beech Tree Books.  ISBN: 978-1-41314-864-0





Activities:

Students can create their own pottery piece

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