By Rosanne Parry, 161 pages.
OK, so before I said I hoped The Secret of Zoom would win the 2011-2012 Mark Twain Award. Scratch that, I spoke too soon! Stop what you're doing, put down what you're reading, and go get a copy of Heart of a Shepherd. I have not been this moved by a children's book since Walk Two Moons. I cried and cried. Man. Oof. Wow.
Heart of a Shepherd is about a boy everyone calls Brother. He lives on a ranch in Oregon with his grandparents. His father is serving in Iraq, and his mother is out of the picture. He has some sheep he tends, some older brothers, and some friends at school. And that's basically the book right there. Although things happen in the book, the story is mainly about Brother's thoughts and feelings as he deals with life, death, growing up. I can't explain the alchemy that good writing brings to a simple story to make it moving and important. All I know is I was reading a story about a boy, and then the magic of literature happened and I was crying my eyes out.
Heart of a Shepherd is a simple and thoughtful portrait of a boy on the cusp of adulthood. Even though it's categorized as J Fiction, I think YA readers might get more out of it. But who knows. I remember reading Walk Two Moons in fifth grade and loving it, and when I read it again last year I loved it for different reasons. Heart of a Shepherd is probably the same-- people of all ages will find something of value.
Grace, I totally agree with your review. The lump in my throat and the kleenex in my hand say you were right.
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