by Linda Sue Park
Flap Copy description:
Tree-ear was so called after the mushroom that grew on tree trunks without the benefit of a parent seed. A good name for an orphan, Crane-Man said.
Foraging in fields and on rubbish heaps, and sharing the food with his friend Crane-Man, used to be enough to full Tree-ear's days. But now all Tree-ear wants to do is watch master potter Min at work.
Ch'ulp'o is a potters' village, famous for delicate celadon ware, and Min is the most brilliant of all the potters in Ch'ulp'o. He is also known to be short-tempered. Even so, Tree-ear is drawn irresistibly to Min's workplace. He is fascinated by the miracle of the potter's craft and dreams of making a pot of his own someday. His quest leads him down unexpected paths, with hazards and rewards beyond imagining.
This account of a creative spirit on its journey toward fulfillment is set in twelfth-century Korea, where the course of human destiny could be determined by a single celadon shard.
My thoughts:
When a novel is written by a gifted storyteller, I have found that the story will draw readers from all age groups - irregardless of the book's classification. Such is the case with this MG novel, A Single Shard, authored by Linda Sue Park. Ms. Park has beautifully written a deeply moving tale that has the perfect blend of character description, voice, theme, and plot. I had to reserve this book at the library because it was always checked out! It is no wonder that A Single Shard won the 2002 Newbery Medal Award. Whether you are eight or eighty take the time to read this gem!
