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Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry was a beautiful book about ranching, religion, faith, military families, and the Iraq war.  Quite the combo there but it all fits together in such a way that the book is entirely moving and powerful but yet very quiet.  It had me slowing down while reading it and simply savoring the story of this family.   It’s been weeks since I’ve read this one but I still remember the story vividly and the feeling of admiration I felt while reading it.

Brother is an odd nickname for a boy but it fits twelve-year-old Ignatius well.  After all he is the younger brother of four older brothers who are all in college,the army or boarding school but whom come home to help out on their ranch during breaks.  Brother’s dad is called up for a 14-month tour of Iraq with the National Guard which leaves Brother in the care of his grandparents on the ranch.

Now the man of the house and desperately missing his father, he wants to prove that he can take care of the ranch without the help of his older brothers. But ranching has never really been his thing anyways.  Although he knows how to do the work well, he wonders if  ranching is really what he wants to do for the rest of his life.  During the year that his father is gone and the resulting trials, Brother learns a lot about himself, family dynamics, responsibilities, loyalties, and a lot about his faith.

I really liked this following passage  in which his friends mother, who has returned from Iraq, is speaking:

“Don’t confuse the right thing with the easy thing, Brother. Sometimes choosing what’s right for you breaks your heart.” She crushes out her cigarette on the step.  Her hand retreats back up her sleeve and she gives a little shrug. “A person can live a little bit broken,” she says.  “Most of us do, I guess.”

The grandfather is a fantastic character too.  Great relationship between the two.  A beautiful book.  This little short review doesn’t really touch upon the subtlety of its many topics very well.  A great book for boys too.  Always on the lookout for that.  And definitely one that speaks up to children and really gets them thinking.  Most highly recommended.

Links of interest: Rosanne Parry website,  more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers.  January 27, 2009
Hardcover, 176 pages.  ISBN 0375848029
Source copy: Library
Heart of a Shepherd is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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