Pax by Sara Pennypacker—Review by Andrea Vollmer

Pax is a compelling story about the bond between a boy and his fox. Peter rescued Pax as a kit and they’ve not spent more than a day apart since. The two have come to deeply understand one another; Pax can smell Peter’s emotions and will protect him at all costs, while Peter feels a oneness with Pax, sensing things about Pax that he can’t explain. Their bond is tested, however, when the war and Peter’s father conspire to drive them apart.

Sara Pennypacker, the author of the popular Clementine series, has done a beautiful job pulling readers’ heartstrings from the opening scene. Older readers will feel Peter’s pain, rally in anger against antagonist forces, and urge him on as he strikes out on his own to find his fox. They may even reflect on their own “true core,” just as Peter does along the way.

Muted illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner Jon Klassen cleverly highlight the emotional arcs in the story, while his silhouettes of boy and fox alert readers to the character point of view in the upcoming chapter.

With simple descriptions that evoke both the beauty of nature and the complexities of human nature, Pennypacker has written a story that will resonate with older readers trying on independence for the first time.