A Single Shard

Title: A Single Shard

Author: Linda Sue Park

Readability:

Grade level Equivalent: 6.8, Lexile Measure: 920L, DRA: 50

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Korean, Crafts, Determination and Perseverance, Loyalty, Achievement and Success

Characters: Min, Tree-ear, Father

Awards: Newberry Medal

Publication: 2001

Pubilsher: Houghton Mifflin Company

ISBN: 0-395-97827-0

Summary:   This is the story of a 12-year-old orphan boy named Tree-ear.  He lives under a bridge in a seaside village with an elderly crippled man who cared for him as a child. Once Tree-ear became older he longed for a purpose in life and becomes interested in pottery that his village produces. Min, is the potter, and he allows the boy to work for him.  Tree-ear is given the important job to deliver a vase to the royal city.   Tree-ear is met with a few obstacles on his journey and ends up only have a single shard to use to get the king's emissary to give his master commission.

Classroom:  This story can be used in many ways to teach students about a variety of topics and or skills.  This young boys journey is great and his character has such a strong will.  A character analysis and or a comparison and contrast of this character with a character from another story would be a great learning tool.