![]() ![]() Pottery forms the backbone of this story, and it provides a great way to talk about invention, creation, and even artistic license. This can be a great springboard for discussing adoptive families. ![]() During the course of the story, he also comes to love Min and his wife. Tree-ear is an orphan, but he loves Crane-man as a father. These can be great fodder for discussion about the choices he makes. Tree-ear faces many difficult situations in the story, including both physical and emotional challenges. This very gradual, step-by-step process highlights the importance of personal commitment and dedication to learning and mastery. Min makes Tree-ear undergo a rigorous work process before he even approaches making anything out of the clay. When Tree-ear apprentices himself to the village's master potter, a demanding man named Min, the boy learns the importance of determination, hard work, and artistry. Tree-ear is an orphan who lives under a bridge and is being raised by an elderly cripple named Crane-man. The archaeologist in me must point out my biggest critique of this book: the title! A shard is technically a broken piece of glass, while the correct term for a broken piece of pottery is sherd. Set in mid-to-late 12th century Korea, this is a fabulous historical fiction story of loss, hard work, adventure, and the meaning of family. ![]() ![]() A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park won the Newbery Medal in 2002. ![]()
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