The Wooden Ox

LeAnne Hardy creates a powerful picture of the devastation of civil war in Mozambique Africa. The story follows a kidnapped missionary family and is written from the point of view of 13 year old Keri. Rather than focus on the larger political machinations of the warring factions, Hardy emphasizes the trauma and devastation for the individuals caught in the war. She shows how war splits the personalities of people, making a little boy an angry warrior and a loving father into a soldier. The Wooden Ox is realistic, tightly plotted and does not back down from the hard questions of the Christian faith. Although intended for a young adult audience, older readers would enjoy as well.

This is a fictional account of an American family who went to distribute relief food and clothes to people in war-torn Mozambique. The story is told by Keri, the older of the two children. It details the danger, fear, and faith the Andersons experienced as they were capture and then brought to safety. This is a story which will linger in one's memory and give insight into the experiences reported in the daily news as well as reminding readers of what faces many missionaries in Africa during these unsettled times.

This story is easy to get into, easy to follow, and hard to put down. Although it's a work of fiction, the questions of faith are real, and the characters believable. Hardy's style is great for young and early-teen readers. Definitely recommended!

I was caught up in reading THE WOODEN OX, feeling like I was there with the family in Mozambique. Leanne does an excellent job of introducing us to the sights, sounds, tastes, and customs of the Mozambican people and their culture. I was a bit surprised at the somber reality portrayed in the book of the atrocities of the civil war. I had read elsewhere of the awful murders and suffering in Mozambique during the war years but to read it from a child's point of view, the way Leanne wrote it, was moving. Keri, the main character deals with not wanting to accept the reality of the suffering, with the shock and the grieving that accompany the suffering, and then the learning to go on with God even when not everything made sense. I could really feel the struggle in the girl's heart. I think this book will be an eye-opener for 'comfortable' American kids!