A Single Shard

Average Rating:
4.87805
41 Reviews
Categories: , , , , , .
TitleA Single Shard
Publication TypeBook
Year of Publication2001
AuthorsPark, Linda Sue
Number of Pages148
PublisherClarion Books
CityNew York
ISBN0-395-97827-0 (hardcover)
Abstract

Park (Seesaw Girl) molds a moving tribute to perseverance and creativity in this finely etched novel set in mid- to late 12th-century Korea. In Ch'ul'po, a potter's village, Crane-man (so called because of one shriveled leg) raises 10-year-old orphan Tree Ear (named for a mushroom that grows "without benefit of "parent-seed"). Though the pair reside under a bridge, surviving on cast-off rubbish and fallen grains of rice, they believe "stealing and begging... made a man no better than a dog." From afar, Tree Ear admires the work of the potters until he accidentally destroys a piece by Min, the most talented of the town's craftsmen, and pays his debt in servitude for nine days. Park convincingly conveys how a community of artists works (chopping wood for a communal kiln, cutting clay to be thrown, etc.) and effectively builds the relationships between characters through their actions (e.g., Tree Ear hides half his lunch each day for Crane-man, and Min's soft-hearted wife surreptitiously fills the bowl). She charts Tree Ear's transformation from apprentice to artist and portrays his selflessness during a pilgrimage to Songdo to show Min's work to the royal court he faithfully continues even after robbers shatter the work and he has only a single shard to show.
URLhttp://www.amazon.com/Single-Shard-Linda-Sue-Park/dp/0440418518/

Supplemental Contributions

Members of the community have contributed the following materials as supplements to A Single Shard.

Title Attached Files Contributed By Contributed On Link

Ceramics Unit for A Single Shard

Unit for art teachers by Malia Bennett in two files, Trinity Area High School (Pittsburgh site)

 2 Malia Bennett 11/8/11

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A Single Shard/summary and activities

summary and a variety of activities for multiple grade levels

 1 Katherine Hoffer 9/29/10

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Average Rating:
4.87805
41 Reviews

Reviews for A Single Shard

5

Posted By: Ciminy St.Clair

Posted On: October 18, 2010

Review by NCTA teacher Ciminy St.Clair
K-4 Gifted
Norwin School District- Sheridan Terrace Elementary
A Review of A Single Shard
Appropriate Grades 4-6

I reviewed A Single Shard. The book would be appropriate for students grades 4-6. The book discusses a young orphaned boy who was dealt a rough life ahead of him. However, he made the best of his situation. He strived for more and was mentored by wise older man. He worked very hard to prove himself to a master potter. Ming worked long hours and was treated poorly but was not discouraged by his treatment. He learned morals and values along the way and learned he could do anything he put to mind to. In the end he succeeded only to see his mentor and friend die. I believe the kids could take valuable life lessons out of reading this book. Because my students are gifted many things come easily to them and hard work is often not needed. I feel my students could be humbled by the struggles this book presents and realize hard work is a valued quality.
I am going to require all of my fourth grade students read A Single Shard as part of a Westmoreland County Reading Competition. The students will read four books and participate in a various station activities themed around the books. For A Single Shard, the gifted students will create a haiku poem about the book. Creating a poem will allow the students to explore a creative outlet to express their knowledge about the book. Since the book covers many seasons and many emotions, the students’ expressive talents can shine.

5

Posted By: Patricia Koch

Posted On: October 2, 2010

A Single Shard is the story of homeless Tree-ear's adventure to become a accomplished potter. The book illustrates the caste system in 12th century Korea, and the struggle of a young boy who has no family to help him make his way. The author includes information in the back of the book about Celadon pottery, and why it was and is valued in Korea. The book could be used for 5th to 8th grades.

4

Posted By: Michael-Ann Cerniglia

Posted On: June 9, 2010

Michael-Ann Cerniglia
Grade 6 History Teacher (World Geography and Culture: Eastern Hemisphere)
Sewickley Academy

A Single Shard is a Newberry Award-winning novel, written by Linda Sue Park, which takes place in late 12th C Korea, in the sea-side pottery village of Ch’ulp’o. The main character, Tree-ear, is a 12 year old orphan who has been raised under a bridge by a poor, disabled man by the name of Crane-man. Tree-ear and Crane-man have very few possessions, make their own baskets and shoes, and live on soup made with small amounts of mushrooms and leaves that they find in the surrounding woods. As an orphan, Tree-ear is treated as a pariah, so he is largely ignored by the villagers. However, he capitalizes on this status by using his anonymity to observe the people of Ch’ulp’o, specifically the potters. Having identified the potter Min as the most talented, Tree-ear finds himself working for Min to pay off a debt. Tree-ear’s greatest dream is to one day learn to make pots as beautiful as Min’s, though his status precludes him from becoming an apprentice. Despite the social barriers, Tree-ear remains dedicated to Min and embarks on a treacherous journey to win him a royal commission. Along the way, Tree-ear loses the pottery to vandals and enters the court with only a single shard to represent Min’s skill and artistry.

This beautifully-written, though slow-paced, novel encapsulates many historic and cultural themes relevant to the English, world history, and arts classrooms. Students may need some encouragement to move through the beginning of the book, which takes it’s time developing the setting and characters (the reason for 4 stars, rather than 5). However, by the mid-point, the reader senses anticipation as the novel picks up to a rewarding, if predictable, climax and resolution. In English, literary themes such as elements of a novel, foreshadowing, and character development can be analyzed. A Single Shard also makes use of rich vocabulary, and much of it (i.e. Buddhism, celadon, monks) partners well with its historic and cultural themes. History teachers will be able to enhance students’ understanding of the novel by studying historic maps and the political landscape of 12th C Korea. Appreciating this time period as one in which celadon pottery flourished is also significant to understanding the novel. The Korean philosophies of Buddhism and Confucianism are also important concepts to develop before, or while, students read this book and the concept of a social hierarchy gives students the foundation for understanding the value of celadon during this time. The value of social status is also particularly significant to understanding Tree-ear’s position as an orphan. Additionally, the importance of rice is present throughout the book. Implementing the curriculum The Historic and Cultural Importance of Rice (Stanford University SPICE publication) would complement this theme. Finally, history and art teachers can collaborate to develop an understanding of how celadon was made in the 12th C, in comparison to how pottery is made today. Ideally, students should have the opportunity to view or participate in the creation of clay pots.

5

Posted By: Lee Ann Conover

Posted On: May 31, 2010

This beautifully written novel is set in a small village on the west coast of Korea during the 12th century. The story opens with two of the main characters, Tree-ear and Crane-man, sharing a joke based on a traditional Korean greeting of the time, which immediately pulls the reader into experiencing the Korean culture. The reader follows 10 year old orphan Tree-ear as he journeys toward his dream of becoming a potter. He begins working for Min, a master potter, to pay back the damages incurred when Tree-ear accidentally breaks a piece of Min's pottery. After his debt is paid, Tree-ear remains on working for Min in the hopes of fulfilling his dream. As Tree-ear learns the steps required to make celadon pottery, so does the reader. There are happy, hopeful times, as well as sad, tense times. Courage, perseverance, artistic skill, caring for others, supporting others in their efforts, and striving towards your goals are all demonstrated in this novel and teachers can develop lessons based on these topics.

The main characters: Tree-ear, Crane-man-the crippled homeless man with whom Tree-ear "lives"; Min-the Master potter; Ajima-Min's wife, who is very kind to Tree-ear and eventually provides him with a home and a new name, are strong and well-written. The teacher can build lessons around each of them. It would be interesting to have students create and perform skits based on scenes from the novel. They could also write poems, or develop biographies for each character. As a Music teacher, I would use the idea of apprenticeship in my classroom. The idea of apprenticeship relates to the manner in which a person learns to become a Master drummer in some cultures--or for that matter, learns to play any instrument--through instruction with a Master player. This novel is used in our Middle School Language Arts classes and I feel it is very appropriate for Middle School readers. It could also be successfully used in upper elementary grades.

Review by Lee Ann Conover
Falk Laboratory School
Music K-8

5

Posted By: Carla Garfield

Posted On: May 31, 2010

Review by: Carla Garfield
Rating: 5.Edit Your Review
Review:
Carla Garfield
Grade 6 English teacher
Sewickley Academy

Set in “a small village on the west coast of Korea, mid-to late twelfth century” (thank you, Linda Sue Park, for telling us, rather than making us guess), this is a charming story from a culture and a time period students are rarely exposed to. A Single Shard tells the story of Tree-ear, a 12 year old orphan boy who lives under the bridge with his protector and mentor, Crane Man. Though they scavenge for their food and shelter and have only each other for companionship and comfort, Tree-ear and Crane Man lead lives of tidy dignity and communion with nature in the seaside village of Chulp’o. Crane Man, who has cared for Tree-ear since he was orphaned as a toddler, imparts to Tree-ear timeless lessons in honesty, self-reliance, and honor.
Tree-ear finds beauty in his bleak existence by surreptitiously watching the crotchety potter, Min, create celadon pottery of the finest quality. When Tree-ear accidentally damages one of Min’s pots, he works off the value of the pot cutting firewood and digging clay. Tree-ear hopes to learn to create pottery of his own, but Min rejects any notion of apprenticeship, until Tree-ear proves himself in an difficult odyssey to procure for the potter the work and renown he deserves.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book myself, but I wondered if the pace was a bit slow for my students. When I held the book up in our (at the time, all girl) book club, though, and asked if anyone had read it, several girls squealed in delight, “I loved that book!” They appreciated a departure from the standard middle school fare as much as, if not more than, I did, and were pleased to learn something new about a faraway culture and skill. We all appreciated the fine, descriptive writing and characterization.

Some suggestions for how to use A Single Shard in the classroom:
• As a vocabulary builder: shard, apprentice, shriveled, monk, earthenware, sluggardly, kiln, glaze, placid, rifle (through), culinary, vigilance, arduous, emissary, incising, commission, vessel
• As an economics lesson. A Single Shard can be used to illustrate concepts of supply, demand, wants, needs, goods, services, labor, apprenticeship.
• I strongly suggest that students read, or have read to them, portions of “Japanese Folkcraft Pottery Apprenticeship: Cultural Patterns of an Educational Institution” by John Singleton from Apprenticeship from Theory to Method and Back Again, edited by Michael W. Coy. Though it’s about Japanese apprenticeship, students will be able to make connections to A Single Shard, chapter 9, where Tree-ear asks Crane Man, “The potter’s trade passes from father to son here in Ch’ulp’o. Is it thus everywhere?” “A story tells the answer to that,” Crane Man replies, and proceeds to tell an illustrative story about the history of pottery and families in Korea.
• As an art lesson. This would be a good opportunity to incorporate Korean-style watercolor work to illustrate the countryside Tree-ear crosses during his trip to meet the emissary. And, needless to say, I think it’s virtually required that at least one pottery lesson be incorporated into this unit – a great opportunity for some interdisciplinary teaching with the art department. It’s also critical that students have access to images of celadon; the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco has a great collection online.
• Naming. At least one lesson should be on how Tree-ear and Crane Man received their names, and how students can use the same technique to create new names for themselves and their classmates that match their attributes.
• History and geography. Chart Tree-ear’s path on a map. Examine the historical context for Tree-ear’s story. What is the history of celadon in Korea? Why was it so popular and valued? Fortunately, Linda Sue Park includes a postscript, “What’s So Special About Celadon?” that helps explain its importance.
• Cooking. How could we leave this novel without a lesson in kimchee?

Yearling Books puts A Single Shard at a 6.2 reading level, but some of my better readers enjoyed and understood this book in fifth grade. In a unit about Korean history, you could stretch it through eighth grade, especially since it's a Newbery winner.