A Single Shard

Author: Linda Sue Park

Main Characters: Tree-ear, Min, and Craneman

Setting: A Korean Potters Village

Tree-ear is a young orphan boy who lives under the bridge with Craneman. In the beginning of the story Tree-ear was walking around the village when someone’s jiggeh (backpack) was leaking, so rice was falling out of it and so Tree-ear gathered the rice for him and Craneman when the person was around the bend.

Tree-ear sneaks around Potter Min’s house so he can watch him make vases. One day Tree-ear was sneaking around Potter Min’s pottery and he broke one of the pots. To pay back for what he broke Tree-ear has to work for Potter Min for nine days. Tree-ear started the next day and he had to go up the mountain to get wood. When Tree-ear was going down the mountain he fell and got a deep cut on his hand.

Tree-ear returns every morning and goes up the mountain to chop wood and then he goes to the kiln.
Tree-ear did his job for nine days and instead of stopping he asks to stay so that he can make a vase. He now collects clay. Soon the emissary arrives and would like Min to show his work to the court.

Potter Min sends Tree-ear to Songdo to show Potter Min’s work. The emissary signed Potter Min a commission.

When Tree-ear returned he was told that a farmer’s load was too heavy and it broke the rails of the bridge and Craneman died. Ajima and Potter Min asked Tree-ear to stay the night. Ajima and Potter Min gave Tree-ear a new name which was Hyung-gu and allowed Hyung-gu to live with them. Hyung-gu lived happily ever after and was taught how to make a vase.

Aunt Kelli picked this book out for me since it is based in Korea where we are moving. This book was very good and I would suggest you read this book.