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A Single Shard

'Delightful' Philip Pullman

Published by Rock the Boat
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

‘Delightful... I read the novel with enormous pleasure and admiration.’ PHILIP PULLMAN

A SPECIAL 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THIS AWARD-WINNING TALE ABOUT THE POWER OF PERSEVERANCE BY THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A LONG WALK TO WATER

13-year-old Tree-ear lives in a Korean village famous for its ceramics. He doesn’t have much but he loves to watch master potter Min at work and dreams of learning the craft one day.
Reluctantly Min agrees to let Tree-ear help him. Determined to do whatever it takes to prove himself, Tree-ear embarks on a dangerous journey to present his master’s work to the king, unaware it will change his life forever.

About The Author

Linda Sue Park is the author of many books for young readers, including the international bestseller A Long Walk to Water. When she is not writing, she serves on the advisory boards of We Need Diverse Books and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Linda Sue is the founder of KiBooka, a listing initiative that aims to boost Korean American and Korean diasporic voices. She has been a panelist for several awards and grants, including the Kirkus Prize, the National Book Award, the PEN Naylor grant, and the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. Linda lives in Rochester, New York, with her family and gave a popular TED talk called Can A Children’s Book Change the World?

Product Details

  • Publisher: Rock the Boat (January 20, 2022)
  • Length: 160 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780861541874
  • Ages: 8 - 12

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Raves and Reviews

‘Delightful... I read the novel with enormous pleasure and admiration.’

– Philip Pullman

‘The novel has the deceptive simplicity of a folk-tale… Reflective readers who surrender to the quiet rhythms of the prose and the plot will surely find pleasure both in the crafting of the pots and in the receptive awareness of Tree-ear.’

– Books for Keeps, *****

‘Park moulds a moving tribute to perseverance and creativity in this finely etched novel set in mid-to-late 12th century Korea. . . Readers will not soon forget these characters or their sacrifices.’

– Publishers Weekly, starred review

‘Tree-ear’s story conveys a time and place far away and long ago, but with a simplicity and immediacy that is both graceful and unpretentious. A timeless jewel.’

– Kirkus

‘This book not only gives readers insight an unfamiliar time and place, but it is also a great story.’

– School Library Journal, starred review

‘Readers will feel the hunger and cold that Tree-ear experiences, as well as his shame, fear, gratitude, and love. A well-crafted novel with an unusual setting.’

– Booklist, starred review

‘Park's story is alive with fascinating information about life and art in ancient Korea.’

– Horn Book Guide

‘This finely crafted novel brings 12th-century Korea and these indelible characters to life.’

– SLJ Best Books of the Year

‘A great read about skills, workmanship, friendship, hardship, different cultures, bravery and perseverance.’

– Independent Book Reviews

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