A Single Shard

Historical (fiction), Trade Book, Lexile 920

Tree-ear is an orphan who lives in Ch'ulp'o, an ancient Korean village known for its celebrated celadon pottery. Although Tree-ear is interested in his village's craft and often secretly observes the master potter Min at work, making pottery is an apprenticed occupation that is passed from father to son. So, Tree-ear continues to live with his friend and mentor, Crane-Man, under a bridge and scavenge for food. One day, while examining some of Min's finished works, Tree-ear accidentally breaks a piece. To pay Min back for this impertinence, Tree-ear agrees to work for free until he has earned back all the money for the expensive piece of pottery. This agreement finally brings Tree-ear into his coveted world of pottery and starts a chain of events that will change his life forever.