A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

In a city called Ch’ulp’o in 12^th century Korea, Tree-ear is a twelve year-old orphan who lives under a bridge with an old disabled man named Crane-man. Tree-ear leads a normal life until a potter, Min, finds him sneaking around his house. To pay for a piece of broken pottery, Tree-ear offers to work for Min. Tree-ear works for many months learning about the city’s most important trade, pottery, but never actually touching the clay. When a royal commissioner comes to the city and is interested in Min’s work, Tree-ear must go on a long journey far from home to prove his master’s worthiness of the commission.  But when two thieves smash the piece he is carrying, Tree-ear’s new knowledge is put to the test. If you like suspenseful, historic books read A Single Shard. By: Stevie 4^th period