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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
From my Newbery shelf :) A sweet story about an orphan who is an apprentice to a potter in Korea.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Themes of the power of small things, what family is, perseverance
This quick read is a Newbery Award book (in 2003) and a wonderful story for all. I found myself rooting for ol’ Tree Ear! A tale that shows what the power of love, holding tight to your dream, and hard hard work can do! The only spoiler: you may shed a tear!
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Linda Sue Park's "A Single Shard" is a lyrical, quiet tale about a boy learning to trust himself and the world, and the value of persistence. My middle school homeschoolers were divided about the story (some loved it, a few didn't.) I think those who didn't found the narrative too gentle since even the dramatic parts are brief. That said, those who loved it (including me) clearly appreciated the attention to detail, the subtle exploration of Tree Ear's personality, and his ultimate maturation and self-reliance. The book gets going a little slowly, so some young readers would benefit from it being a read-aloud for the first 15-20 pages in order to launch them. That said, it's overall a short book and my students read it in a week. I would recommend it highly as part of an integrated Language Arts/Social Studies curriculum or for a wonderful book for pleasure.
Loved this elementary-level novel! What an entertaining and moving story set in 12th-century Korea!
Beautiful book. I read it with my son and we both loved it. We talk about it often for its amazing life lessons and the simple, spectacular story of a young boy finding his way and doing it with honesty and integrity. A great story for everyone, but especially young boys and teens.
I read it again with my second and third children and we all loved it and learned from it. What a gem of a story. They both consider it one of the best books we've ever read. The 8 year old even said it was better than Harry Potter!
I read it again with the fourth child. Perfect as always. I love this book!
I read it again with my second and third children and we all loved it and learned from it. What a gem of a story. They both consider it one of the best books we've ever read. The 8 year old even said it was better than Harry Potter!
I read it again with the fourth child. Perfect as always. I love this book!
I really like reading stories that take place in other countries, and this book is no exception - the writing was pretty good, and Tree-Ear is a likeable character.