Book Summary and Reviews of A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

A Single Shard

by Linda Sue Park

  • Critics' Consensus (1):
  • Readers' Rating (2):
  • Published:
  • Apr 2001, 160 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Tree-ear, an orphan, lives under a bridge in Ch'ulp'o, a potters' village famed for delicate celadon ware. He has become fascinated with the potter's craft; he wants nothing more than to watch master potter Min at work, and he dreams of making a pot of his own someday. When Min takes Tree-ear on as his helper, Tree-ear is elated — until he finds obstacles in his path: the backbreaking labor of digging and hauling clay, Min's irascible temper, and his own ignorance. But Tree-ear is determined to prove himself — even if it means taking a long, solitary journey on foot to present Min's work in the hope of a royal commission . . . even if it means arriving at the royal court with nothing to show but a single celadon shard.

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Book Awards

  • award image John Newbery Medal, 2002

Reviews

Media Reviews

"The author molds a moving tribute to perseverance and creativity in this finely etched novel set in mid- to late-12th-century Korea. Readers will not soon forget these characters or their sacrifices." - PW

"[T]his book not only gives readers insight into an unfamiliar time and place, but it is also a great story." - School Library Journal

This information about A Single Shard was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own reviewwrite your own review

Ray

ray77479@hotmail.com
This book is very moving and tells about a time and place that is not familiar to many people. This book touched my heart as it might have of many other. I really enjoyed reading this book.(:

Lizzy Gon Fizzy

Exellent
Hi. My name is Izzy. I professionally rate and review books. I think A Single Shard is an excellent book. That is all.

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