After Tree-ear accidentally breaks a beautiful celadon pottery box, he offers to work to repay the potter, Min. Even after his debt is repaid, Tree-ear continues to work for the foul-tempered potter, hoping that he will eventually teach him to use the potters wheel. Min makes it clear, however, that such an honor is to be reserved for the son of a potter, and Tree-ear is just an orphan.
When the king�s emissary comes to their village, seeking a potter to commission for the royal household, Min has a chance to change his fortune. He must trust Tree-ear to transport the precious vases in a treacherous journey over the mountains to win the commission. Tree-ear�s tenacious commitment to Min overcomes the tragedies he encounters on his journey, and results in a change of fortune for both the old potter and his servant.
The setting of the book is �a small village on the west coast of Korea� during the �mid- to late 12th century.� The story is given authenticity by the description of the village, the conventions of the time, and the life-style of the characters. The time is measured in �full moons� rather than months. The deferential respect Tree-ear shows his elders was typical of the culture of that time and place. School Library Journal (May 1, 2001) says �This quiet story is rich in the details of life in Korea during this period.�
Tree-ear�s journey to Songdo reveals much about Medieval Korea and its way of life. �The villages along Tree-ear�s route . . . had the same feel as Ch�ulp�o: small thatched houses gathered in clusters along a single main road, the grand home of a government official set apart from the rest, a temple somewhere nearby, people working hard for a meager living. Everyone had been kind and respectful, going about their business as he went about his.� (p. 117)
The characters are well-conceived and believable. The young protagonist, Tree-ear, is hard-working and respectful, and has a warm, loving relationship with Crane-man. The author shows us another side of Tree-ear, when he loses patience with Min and considers him to be �an old fool� (p. 89) after he refuses to show the emissary pottery that is less than perfect. Min and his wife are less well-developed. Although the wife is consistently kind to Tree-ear, Min is consistently harsh. It is not until Tree-ear returns from his trip, and Crane-man has died, that Min shows a kinder side and takes the boy into his home and heart.
The author�s note at the end of the book provides factual background material on which the story was based. There is a vase in a museum in Seoul, Korea that provided the inspiration for the story. Although the creator of the vase is unknown, a character very much like Tree-ear could have been the potter who created it.
The themes of pride in one�s work, loyalty, respect for others, and persistence are just as relevant today as they were in Medieval Korea. Publishers Weekly (March 10, 2003) says, �The author molds a moving tribute to perseverance and creativity in this finely etched novel set in mid- to late-12th-century Korea.� Young readers will have an opportunity to catch a glimpse of a culture different from their own, while understanding the common struggles and dreams shared by young people that span time and distance.
Awards
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
Newbery Medal
ALA Notable Books for Children
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children�s Book Award (Nominee)
Maine Student Book Award (Nominee)
Bluegrass Award (Nominee)
Young Reader�s Choice Award (Nominee)
Massachusetts Children�s Book Award (Nominee)
Charlie May Simon Children�s Book Award (Nominee)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee)
Young Reader�s Award (Nominee)
Nene Award (Nominee)
William Allen White Children�s Book Award (Nominee)
Websites
Linda Sue Park Website: http://www.lspark.com
Single Shard Review: http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/singleshard.html
Literature Learning Ladder: http://eduscapes.com/newbery/02a.htm
Source
Books in Print [database online]. Available from http://www.booksinprint.com. Accessed
School of Library and Information Studies
TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY