From: Karen L. Simonetti <klsimonetti>
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 14:04:04 -0600

Earlier Linda Sue Park so generously commented on the book's title (see below) and asked:
 

Well, obviously, this is not a truly representative study but I am overjoyed to announce that one of my younger friends, Peter (age 11) who defines reluctant reader + has some moderate to severe learning disabilities (although he is a chess genius), called me up last night and said, "This Single Shard book is good. I'm on page 54 and am going to finish it! But, why didn't you give me the cover? And guess what? Not even my parents know all the words in the book! I ask them + we have to look them up together."

Ah! Ha! There is a method behind my madness in not giving Peter the jacket to the book. I was delightfully surprised to discover the cover of the book itself. The rather dark ecru linen-like paper with the circle imprint of a stylized swan (I hope I'm getting this right) reminded me of a journal and in "selling" the book to Peter it seemed more of a natural to hand him the book and set up the reading experience. (To wit, "This is story takes place a long time ago. When stories were treasured along with secrets of how to make prized pottery. Pottery was almost the most valuable things in the world!") Peter did not know the word "shard" and so as to not frustrate his reading experience, I did hand him one of the images from Ms. Park's website so we could briefly discuss celadon pottery. Peter then appeared to be hooked on the mystery of the making of celadon pottery!

When Peter + I spoke, I asked him for some first impressions (and if I could share them with you), here's some of what he had to say (I typed as he spoke):

--I really like Tree?r. He is very good at picking up on clues. Like how the things were going on in the village from the food in the garbage. Like how -uh, the man he is working for- is the best one to learn from...and how he knows to watch what Kang is doing. Remember to tell your friends I'm only on page 54!

 must know something special about the pottery. I mean, why it is special. I can't wait to find out too. I bet he does learn to make the celadon. And that's why this is like an adventure.

--I don't know why the book is called -A Single Shard-...Does something break? Does Tree?r break something by mistake and get in trouble? I bet his friend Crane-man will help him out.

 I do like this book. I would tell my friends to read it. Uh, yeah...I will tell you more so you can tell your friends. But, if this book won the prize, haven't all the adults read it already?

My impression: The title is perfect! I don't think that it gives anything away as this reader seems to be absorbed in the plot where the backdrop, setting, characterization and plot development are just getting underway. It certainly seems to be carrying this young reader along...

Karen Sue...who told Peter that "Nope! Not all the adults have read the book already...the stores ran out of copies!?!"



"Recognize joy when it arrives in the plain brown wrappings of everyday life."
- Judith Viorst Karen L. Simonetti phone: 312.337.7114 email: klsimonetti at earthlink.net
Received on Fri 08 Feb 2002 02:04:04 PM CST