A Single Shard

By: Linda Sue Park

Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm

Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean potters’ village. When he accidentally breaks a pot, he must work for the master to pay for the damage by setting off on a difficult and dangerous journey that will change his life forever.

©2001 Linda Sue Park (P)2002 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

“Intrigues, danger, and the same strong focus on doing what is right turn a simple story into a compelling read. . . . A timeless jewel.”–Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Wonderful

I recommend this book.
Iota about inlaid pottery work in the 12 century and about a talented orphan boy.

Details artfully inlaid...

I started this simple book with my 7th grade daughter who had to read it for a school project.
She thought it was boring, but by the time she listened to the first chapter I could tell she wouldn't stop listening.

Details artfully inlaid to create a beautiful, descriptive book useful for discussion and teaching life lessons. Concepts and conversations here and there, how life can be more beautiful with kindness, contrasted to gruffness.
Do yourself a favor ... delightful!

A single shard

It was an amazing experience and I got an a+on my form
And the system did not crak

It was pretty good

I have to at it was quite the story in a good way I really liked but it can be a little hard to get through in the beginning but overall it was pretty good and I don't think it's one of those stories I would read again but it wa still a good book and I think it's a well deserved 5 star

YES! Inspiring!

Love the book, A Single Shard. It’s one of my favorites! The historical value has a feeling of being alive. I like how each subject was explained to the reader. I could see the bridge, feel the icy water the dark forest and big cities. This book can be shared with kids and adults! Thank you for enriching my life with such a wonderful book!

Beautiful and Touching Story

Beautiful story with so much wisdom. Well-written and well-narrated. Introduced me to the rich history and art of Korean celadon pottery. I’ve always loved that color. I didn’t know it was a thing of cultural significance in Korea. I searched online and found a picture of the crane vase. It’s amazing that people were able to create this 800-900 years ago.

I loved this book when I read it and Audio book is excellent too. Suitable for young and old alike.

As a potter I could relate well to the characters and subject matter. Well presented, well read. I loved this book when I read it and was thrilled to listen to it through Audible.

Just fascinating

Liked the story, the history. The learning about all sorts of classes etc were captivating!

A heart warmimg story.

If you could sum up A Single Shard in three words, what would they be?

Wholesome, uplifting and enjoyable.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved how Tree-ear is true to his values without making excuses for his poverty or difficult circumstances.

What about Graeme Malcolm’s performance did you like?

He does an excellent job in portraying the different characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to it in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

Children in the US are sometimes very naive about other cultures and lifestyles. I think that this book should be read by older children all over the world, but specially by children in the US.

Excellent Book

My daughter love this book! She was fully engrossed with how it is written and was able to follow along with no issues. It kept attention and she wanted to know more.