Shelly's Book Blog

I've decided to begin reading Newbery Medal winners, and my first is 2002 winner A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. The story is set in "A small village on the west coast of Korea, mid- to late 12th century," and the main character is an orphaned boy of about 12 named Tree-ear. He and the man who raised him are homeless, foraging through garbage for food and living under a bridge.
Tree-ear has developed a yearning to become a potter, and he has been secretly watching for some time now one of the master potters (Min) who works in his village. One day Tree-ear accidently breaks one of Min's creations and becomes Min's unpaid assistant in order to repay the debt.

The burning question throughout the story is, of course, whether Min will ever forgive Tree-ear and agree to teach him his craft. On the way toward answering this question, the author weaves a remarkable and touching story -- one that I found hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I appreciated learning about Korean celadon potters and pottery.