A shard is a broken piece of pottery, and Tree-ear and his mentor Min are broken shards of people.

This account of a creative spirit on its journey toward fulfillment is set in 12th-century Korea, where the course of human destiny could be determined by a single celadon shard.

Foraging in fields and on rubbish heaps, and sharing food with his friend Crane-man, used to be enough to fill Tree-ear’s days. But then all the abandoned orphan wants to do is watch master potter Min at work.

Ch’ulp’o is a potters’ village, famous for delicate celadon ware, and Min is the most brilliant of all potters in Ch’ulp’o. He is also known to be short-tempered. Even so, Tree-ear is drawn irresistibly to Min’s workplace. He is fascinated by the miracle of the potter’s craft and dream of making a pot of his own someday. Tree-ear inveigles his way into an apprenticeship to learn from Min. His quest leads him down unexpected paths, with hazards and rewards beyond imagining.

The thought-provoking interpersonal relationships among the characters, the hard lessons of patience for the boy, the developing sense of honor and lessons learned for both young and old in this low-key adventure story make it a tale to remember.

Readers can see through this brief but powerful story that even in the smallest niche in time, the courage and perseverance of a single person can truly make a difference. The story advances the Eastern philosophy that there are consequences to each and every act of man. (SD-Agencies)