This book is about a thirteen year old orphan, Tree-ear, who lives with his friend Crane-man, under a bride in twelfth century Korea. They live in a potter�s village and Tree-ear�s lifelong dream is to become a potter. He ends up becoming an assistant to the best potter in the village, Min. Min is slow and stubborn, but ends up catching the eye of an emissary from the emperor. Tree-ear journeys to the emperor�s village to show the emperor a sample of Min�s work and win him a royal commission.
The time period seems to be well researched, considering it won a Newbery Medal in 2002. There is also a good balance of fact and fiction in the book. For example, Tree-ear and Crane-man are both terrified of foxes. The whole reason Crane-man ended up living under the bridge and becoming guardian over Tree-ear is because of this fear of foxes. This was a real fear that Koreans had during the time in which this story is set, but it blends in so well with the fictional story that the reader doesn�t think of this information as a history lesson. Park doesn�t overwhelm the reader with historical details. The characters and the story are so interesting that the reader is drawn in and doesn�t even think of the book as a �historical� piece.
The time and place are certainly vividly described. As you read the story, you feel like you have been to this little pottery village and know just what it�s like. The author describes how Tree-ear was so good at listening to all the village gossip. It helps the reader picture a small, tight-knit community where people discuss everyone and everything while they are going about their daily tasks. There is also a detailed description of the communal kiln site where all the potters take turns supplying wood for the kiln, and thus all get to use the kiln to fire their pottery.
The characters are real and believable. Tree-ear is believable in the way in which he feels embarrassed and angry when Min yells at him, but stays quiet and respectful because he wants to learn how to throw pots so badly. The reader can certainly identify with Tree-ear, as well as with the other characters. Crane-man�s pride in not wanting to take charity is something that most people can identify with, young or old. The characters also are realistic in that they do things that are appropriate to the time period and to the character. It is easy for the reader to believe that Tree-ear and Crane-man live under the bridge because they have no place else to go. It�s easy to believe that Min and his wife lost a son, and that�s why Min�s wife likes Tree-ear so much, because he reminds her of their son.
The plot grows out of the characters and how they would really behave. For example, the story starts off with the focus on Tree-ear and the fact that he wants to be a potter, but is an orphan and homeless. Through his determination and strong will he gets the job as assistant and the plot grows out of his determination and his interactions with the other characters.
The book is full of themes that are applicable now, just as they were in twelfth century Korea. There is the theme of not giving up � perseverance, patience; respect, honesty, etc. No matter how discouraged Tree-ear gets with Min�s stubbornness, he never quits. He is patient, respectful and honest, and is rewarded in the end for these things.
The style seems to reflect correct language patterns. The way in which the characters speak to one another is very formal, unlike language today. For instance, Tree-ear refers to Min as the �honorable potter,� a term that is both formal and humble. The author�s voice is shown through the language though. For instance, a proper greeting during this time period is �Have you eaten well today?� Tree-ear and Crane-man turn this into a joke and ask one another, �Have you hungered well today?� This dialogue shows some of the language of the time period, but also reflects the author�s sense of humor and style. It also shows that the author carefully researched the time period, but doesn�t attempt to overwhelm the reader with constant language details.
This story was certainly not sugar coated. Tree-ear and Crane-man have tough lives, and the author shows the reader this through their dialogue with each other and through Crane-man�s death. The story is told in third person, but the reader is allowed to see inside of Tree-ear�s mind, hence the story is told through this young protagonist. As a review in Publisher�s Weekly said, readers will ��be hooked by Tree-ear�s perseverance and fascinated by a look into this craftsmen�s colony from Korean history.�
