Linda Sue Park, A Single Shard, OUP Orphan Tree-ear lives under a bridge with Crane-man who has looked after him ever since he was a baby. Tree-ear has nothing; but he has a dream. His dream is to be like the potter Min and to create the wonderful pots from under his fingers. When Tree-ear gets his chance, he seizes it eagerly and sets off on a wonderful, but dangerous adventure. A delightfully crafted story which captures the magic of craftsmanship.(12+)
Tree-ear is an orphan in twelfth-century Korea. He lives under a bridge with Crane-man, a homeless widower who has taken him under his wing. Tree-ear hasn't got many prospects, but he is fascinated by master potter, Min, who lives in the nearby village. Secretly watching Min work, Tree-ear longs to be a potter himself. He persuades Min to let him do little jobs, until one day he has the chance to provide a service for him - one that could bring glory to Min and the village and fulfil his own dreams. But there are others seeking glory and many obstacles for a young boy to overcome.
Linda Sue Park was born in Urbana, Illinois on March 25, 1960, and grew up outside Chicago. The daughter of Korean immigrants, she has been writing poems and stories since she was four years old, and her favorite thing to do as a child was read.
Linda Sue now lives in upstate New York with the Irishman, their two children, and a dog. The dog is a Border Terrier named Fergus. Besides reading and writing, Linda Sue likes to cook, travel, watch movies, and do the New York Times crossword puzzles (daily and Sunday). She enjoys baseball and soccer (watching); board games (playing--Scrabble and trivia games are her favorites); and video games like Tetris and Dr. Mario.
