Heart of a Shepherd

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Description

Literary middle-grade fiction from a first time author, enjoying terrific reviews and word of mouth! Robert Newton Peck meets Katherine Patterson in this sensitive coming-of-age story about a boy in Oregon whose father's reserve unit is sent to Iraq. A fascinating and soulful examination of the surprisingly diverse community of the heartland. From acclaimed author ofA Wolf Called Wander, Rosanne Parry welcomes readers into the Heartland in this tender coming-of-age story. When Brother's dad is shipped off to Iraq, along with the rest of his reserve unit, Brother must help his grandparents keep the ranch going. He's determined to maintain it just as his father left it, in the hope that doing so will ensure his father's safe return. The hardships Brother faces will not only change the ranch, but also reveal his true calling.

Reviews

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2008:
This first novel is an unassuming, transcendent joy.

Starred Review, Horn Book Magazine, May/June 2009:
"Brother's honest voice conveys an emotional terrain as thoughtfully developed as Parry's evocation of the Western landscape."

Isnt it wonderful that there are books like thisabout good people, about striving, and about doing the right thing!
Patricia Reilly Giff, two-time recipient of the Newbery Honor

A true evocation of modern ranch life, a life rooted in community and love, a life seldom written about with such grace and authenticity.
Molly Gloss, finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

Author Bio

The stark beauty of eastern Oregon and the shared purpose of the ranching community made a lasting impression on Rosanne Parry. She found a similar rapport among the military families she knew when her husband was deployed to Iraq. She now lives in an old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon, with bunnies and chickens and her husband and four kids.