New York Times Bestseller * National Book Award Longlist From bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax is destined to become a classic, beloved for generations to come. Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the … inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter’s dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild.
At his grandfather’s house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn’t where he should be—with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox.
Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . .
Pax is a wonderful choice for independent reading, sharing in the classroom, homeschooling, and book groups.
Plus, don’t miss Pax, Journey Home, the sequel to the award-winning and modern classic Pax.
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Gosh this book tore me apart. Let me just say I’m a big fan of the movie FOX AND THE HOUND and so I love foxes, but also firmly believe that wild animals should not be pets.
At the opening of PAX you see a boy forced by his father to abandon his fox in the woods. The fox is waiting for the boy to come back, but since the fox has been living with humans for so long, he doesn’t know how to find shelter or hunt food and OH MY HEART I JUST WANTED TO SAVE HIM. The boy realizes his mistake and sneaks out to go find him, but the boy is just as unprepared to trek through the forest as the fox is!
A gorgeous, powerful book that will stay with you long after you finish.
Phenomenal book about war and one boy and one fox. In alternating chapters from both the fox and the boy’s POV, this is a stunning exploration of what is wild and what is tame; and how we need one another.
Pax by Sara Pennypacker is an absorbing MG book about loyalty and love, about forgiveness and overcoming obstacles. Peter is a young boy whose befriends an orphaned fox kit, Pax. Their friendship and trust in one another lasted years until war car. Peter’s father enlisted. Peter’s made to set his tame fox free in nearby woods, and Peter’s taken hundreds of miles to stay with his paternal grandfather. Worried about Pax, Peter runs away to find and rescue his fox friend. On his journey, he hurts himself, makes a new friend, discovers a new talent, and realizes his inner strength.
This book also explores Pax’s side of things, and his loyalty and love inspires. The little fox is a real hero.
This book, published in 2016, is recommended for ages 8-12 and was long-listed for the National Book Award. The edition we have features a spattering of illustrations by Jon Klassen. It boasts a glimpse into complicated ideas such as responsibility and whether uncontrollable anger is an inherited trait. It shows how lives intersect in surprising ways, and each time people open their hearts to one another, beautiful changes can happen.
Children’s book that adults should read for the sweet and tender message. Not necessary to read with a child.
This book was filled with surprises and entertainment. I absolutely adored the chapters and how each one changed the person/subject.
I just think it is a stupendous book and at the end, you’ll just cry.
No spoilers though!
Read to find out the greatness behind this greatly illustrated book cover!
Just read this as a bedtime tale with my 11 year old – we still do read-togethers, just for the joy of sharing a story. It’s a beautiful book – gentle but layered and meaningful. A welcome respite from some of today’s celebrity children’s authors, this exemplifies timeless writing and a tale of bonds and separation that will endure.
This book is really good. It is detailed. It starts out sad and ends sad, but it is good. I liked the main characters. The secondary characters kinda suck a little (the dad sucks a lot), but Pax the fox is adorable.
good!
I feel good about the book keep it up
One of my favorite animal books
Overall I enjoyed the story and the flipping between the boy and the fox’s perspectives. I think the author really did a great job of capturing the fox’s nature without giving in to excessive anthropomorphism. Would have been four stars but after following Pax and the boy on their respective journeys, the ending was a huge let down.
While I understood the actual events to some degree, it felt like the last scenes could have much deeper. Instead they felt rushed as if suddenly the author was told “finish this now” and so just tacked something on that didn’t really feel true to either character or the story as a whole.
Beautiful prose and a touching story of friendship and loyalty.
……….SPOILERS……….
Pax by Sara Pennypacker is the story of a fox and his boy who are separated because of a war.
Plot 4/5: While the plot wasn’t what I was expecting, I found this story to be very moving.
Characters 5/5: The characters are very well written.
World building 4/5: This story is mainly set in two places, the woods and one of the characters homes.
Pacing 4/5: The pacing is steady.
Writing 5/5: This story is written in the point of view of the fox and the fox’s boy.
Overall 4.4: Although this story wasn’t what I expected, it is a wonderfully written story of two lives that become separated and them trying to find each other again.
Favorite Quote:
“We all own a beast called anger. It can serve us: many good things come of anger at bad things; many unjust things are made just. But first we all have to figure out how to civilize it.” – Vola
Favorite character: Pax and Vola
What a nice book for young readers!
This book was very well written. I’m going to read her other books as well. As I writer, I would aspire to this level of writing at the MG genre. Great read!
Lovely story filled with wisdom and thought-provoking concepts for adults and children. Unique perspectives from a human and animal point of view. I highly recommend.