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A Single Shard
Source: Wikipedia.org
Category: Juvenile
Ages: 9-up
Synopsis
This is a story about a young orphan boy living in 12th century Korea. He lives with his elderly friend Crane-man, who has been taking care of him since the monks brought the boy, Tree-ear, to him. Tree-ear admires the master potters of his home town, one in particular named Min. He accidentally breaks one of Min’s creations and has to work for him to pay for his debt. Tree-ear works hard to do his best and learn from Min, discovering his love for the art of pottery. Through this journey Tree-ear strives to help Min’s work be accepted by the King’s court who is looking for new pottery. Min’s work is accepted and Tree-ear offers to take it to the King and his men several towns away. The path before him lays out the final pieces in helping Tree-ear overcome fear, self-doubt, and honesty.
Review
This cultural story teaches about honesty, hard work, and dedication. Tree-ear learns through struggles of wanting to be accepted by the master potter Min and his wife. He goes through growth, loss, gaining confidence, becoming selfless, and finally being accepted by ones you love. This is a good story for youth who are learning about themselves and discovering who they want to be.
Kids Section
Activities
This would be a good book to read to your child, read with your child, or for them to read on their own. This story is a juvenile historical fiction. It can introduce the child to Korean culture and its history.
Some fun activities to go along with this book could be:
Make pottery with play-dough or clay you can find at a local craft store.
Find books about Korea and Korean culture at your local library.
Make a meal together and have a picnic outside.
Create riddles together and share them with your family and friends.
Find the play version and see if there is a recording to watch.
Discussion Questions
The main character is taught many life lessons. This can be a good time to discuss with your child their thoughts about the character’s experiences and how he handles them.
What would you do if you broke a precious item of someone else’s that you admired?
What if you overheard a secret that could help a friend, but you knew you shouldn’t tell them about it. What would you do?
Why do you think it was hard for Tree-ear to be honest with Crane-man at times?
How did Tree-ear overcome the hard work that Min gave him?
Who was your favorite character and why?
References
For pages within the Adoption Wiki:Adoption Parenting: Grade School
Wikipedia article on A Single Shard: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Single_Shard
The Linda Sue Park Website: www.lindasuepark.com/