A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
Started 02.26.20 • Finished 03.20.20 / 5 stars
"Two things a man never grows tired of watching," he heard Crane-man say in his mind. "Fire and falling water. Always the same, yet always changing."
"The story is of a young boy who becomes an [apprentice] of a potter. He has to get wood and clay for him. One day the emissary comes to the village to examine the creation of the potters in the town and give a commission. Tree-ear, the boy who is apprenticed to potter Min has to make a long journey to where the emissary lives and show him two vases that Min made. Along the way he runs into [thieves] who break both vases. He finds the biggest shard of one [and] keeps it to show the emissary. At the end potter Min gets a commission." - Timothy, age 11
We are afraid of the things we do not know -- just because we do not know them...
"This story is about a young man named Tree-ear. He lives on a bridge with his friend, Crane man. Tree-ear decides to work for potter Min. He has to deliver some of Min's work to the palace. Robbers break it, though. So he brings a single shard to the palace." - Neph, age 9
There were some things that could not be molded into words.