Heart of a Shepherd

Heart of a Shepherd
by Rosanne Parry
J PAR


A few weeks ago, I was asked several questions about finding good Christian literature for children. I recommended the usual: C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series (some of the best Christian literature for any age) and Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind: The Kids series (which, if it is anything like the adult series, is truly awful and I cringe to recommend it, but that is what people want). I’ve also been recommending Roseanne Parry’s 2009 novel Heart of a Shepherd, which had been on my reading list for some time. I finally sat down to read Heart of a Shepherd, with my fingers crossed that it is worth recommending to other children. It is.


Ignatius “Brother” Alderman, a sixth-grader, lives on a ranch in rural Oregon with his father, paternal grandparents, and four older brothers. At the beginning of the story, Brother’s father, who is in the army reserves, is deployed to command his battalion in Iraq. His oldest brother is sent to an Army base in another state, and his other brothers head off to school miles away. This leaves Brother, his two grandparents , and hired hand Ernesto, to keep the ranch running smoothly.


Brother works hard on the ranch tending to his sheep and his other chores. He doubts whether he was called to either a rancher’s life or a soldier’s life, the traditional vocations of his family. One day while tending to his sickly sheep, Ernesto tells Brother that he has “the heart of a shepherd.” Brother grows into his role as “man of the house” and earns the respect of his brothers. He learns how to handle difficult situations with prayer, strength and resolve. When a fire comes and threatens the Alderman family and ranch, Brother is able to do what needs to be done, though it is not easy (or quite believable.)


Author Rosanne Parry is the wife of a Desert Storm veteran. Her experiences helped her to write a poignant novel about those left behind when a loved one is sent to war.


Reviewed by Margaret Ballard