A Single Shard

In this Newbery Medal-winning book set in 12th century Korea, Tree-ear, a 13-year-old orphan, lives under a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, a potters' village famed for delicate celadon ware. He has become fascinated with the potter’s craft; he wants nothing more than to watch master potter Min at work, and he dreams of making a pot of his own someday. When Min takes Tree-ear on as his helper, Tree-ear is elated — until he finds obstacles in his path: the backbreaking labor of digging and hauling clay, Min’s irascible temper, and his own ignorance. But Tree-ear is determined to prove himself — even if it means taking a long, solitary journey on foot to present Min’s work in the hope of a royal commission . . . even if it means arriving at the royal court with nothing to show but a single celadon shard.

• The Kite Fighters
• When My Name Was Keoko
• The King's Fifth
• A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story
• Seesaw Girl
• A Guide for Using A Single Shard in the Classroom (Literature Unit)
• Otto of the Silver Hand (Dover Children's Classics)
• Crispin: The Cross of Lead
• Catherine, Called Birdy
• Otto of the Silver Hand