A little harsh on the realities of life, but the characterizations and relationships are captivating. ( )

Jeez, here I go again, not really digging another big release of 2016 by an author I love (see my review of [b:Raymie Nightingale|25937866|Raymie Nightingale|Kate DiCamillo|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1446751148s/25937866.jpg|45835163]). What is up? I don't know. Maybe I'm just not the right reader for such major bummer, sadsadsadness right now.

My biggest issue with this book is that the setting is completely ambiguous and I struggled with it throughout the book. When and where does it take place? In what world is there a little league game taking place a few miles from a war zone?

It's also become a really tired cliche for a sad kid to randomly meet a magical friend who fixes them (and, of course, the kid fixes the friend, too). I could go a good ten years without reading another story where that is a major plot line. Peter and Vola are both characters with a lot of backstory, but I still didn't feel like they had real depth. They both came off as flat portrayals of sadness and guilt personified.

I don't mean to vent about this book, because it did have some good parts (e.g. Pax's POV), but as I sit to write this review I'm just frustrated that both Pennypacker and DiCamillo have disappointed me so far this year. Ladies, I love you, but you're bringing me down. ( )

Peter and his fox Pax are separated when war comes to their community. The rest of the book rotates POVs between the two as they try to find their way back to each other. I loved this one enough that I immediately had to find the sequel. I love the realistic way the author writes from Pax's POV. It's a beautiful story about learning what's important to you and finding your true family.

"Let me tell you, feelings are all dangerous. Love, hope...Ha! Hope! You talk about dangerous, eh? No, you can't avoid any of them." ( )

I enjoyed the themes in this book on the inevitable cycle of change and having to constantly reevaluate how those changes add or subtract or compile somehow who you are. I have read where a lot of people feel dissatisfied with the ending, but I rather liked it. It ended the journey which began the book. Another journey will happen, but this was the window for the novel. I think the ending shows how change is a cycle, there's always a journey after the last journey but from each one Peter will find some essential truths at his foundation. ( )

Pax and Peter have been 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. . . .

A beautifully wrought novel about the relationship between a boy and a wild fox against a backdrop of war. "Moving and poetic." -Kirkus, starred review

I like the alternating POVs from Peter and Pax. I love that they are both trying to find their way back to each other. Looking forward to reading Pax, Journey Home. ( )

Given to Ted for Spring Break April 2023

between 4 and 4.5 stars. this is a really beautiful - and emotional - story about the cost of war and how we can save each other. also about how that saving might not look like we think it will.

it's a hard read - i had to convince my 11 year old to continue with it when it started out with such a hard to read chapter. it's hard throughout, although not as tough as those first and last chapters are. we see the effects war can have, without seeing any actual fighting. (we do see animals being exploded by land mines.) but we also see found family and the connections we can build with people and animals. how sometimes what might be best for someone we love might be, as the parable says, setting them free.

this is really beautiful and it's so full and contained that i'm not sure there's a need for a sequel, but i'm sure we'll eventually check it out, since we liked this one so much. ( )

This middle-grade book was spare and lovely. The story is told in chapters alternating between the fox's and the boy's points of view. There is a heavy-handed anti-war message. It's hard for me to say how kids would relate to the story, but I certainly enjoyed it. ( )

CW: Peter's mother died, animals attacking each other and being injured

Well that ending was too abrupt!

I needed more closure on the following questions:
What happened to Vola? How can a fox survive in the wilderness after having a leg bitten off? What happened to the relationship with the father? Why didn't he get the foxes and relocate them to Vola's property?

Aside from that it was a lovely story about found family. ( )

I’m not usually that fussed about books about animals and it took quite a while for me to get into this book. But by the time Peter met Vola, I was engrossed. By the end, I even enjoyed the chapters from the fox’s viewpoint as he adapted to life in the wild. And I shed a few tears after finishing the book.

I read this book with a group of Year 6 children. One of the activities we did was to consider the meaning of the word ‘wild’, which is used several times to refer to people as well as animals. It was fascinating to read of the journey that Peter made in himself, finally accepting parts of himself and having the courage to stand up to his father.

I found Vola’s character the most interesting, and her own journey of self-discovery to accept her past. In the end, her own learning and collecting of wisdom was not quite enough and it took a push from Peter to begin the deeper part of her healing, which linked well with her own theories of ‘oneness’.

Although the ending of the book made me cry, I was able to see a potential happy future for all of the main characters, although they would all have to live with some of the true costs of war. ( )

Beautiful, sad, wonderful journey! ( )

O Peter e o Pax são tão inseparáveis como só os melhores amigos podem ser. Desde que o Peter resgatou o pequeno raposinho, os dois tornaram-se parte um do outro, vivendo grandes aventuras e partilhando momentos inesquecíveis.
Mas o inimaginável acontece: o pai do Peter parte para a frente de combate, o rapaz tem de ir viver com o avô e, contra a vontade do Peter, o Pax é «libertado» na floresta. Entretanto, o Pax, firmemente à espera do Peter, embarca em emocionantes aventuras e descobertas acerca dele próprio na companhia de novos amigos, como a Bristle e o Runt.
Uma narrativa maravilhosa e mágica sobre as verdades essenciais que nos definem. Num segundo parte-nos o coração e, no segundo seguinte, é capaz de o reconstruir de forma admirável!

This book has a dual nature with chapters that alternated between the viewpoints of Peter, a 12-year-old, and his beloved fox, Pax. I found myself totally engaged with chapters involving Peter, but less so with those of the fox. Even so, I loved the book.

At its core, the story is about the separation and ultimate reunion of the boy and his missing fox, but below the surface, the story deals with deeper issues involving family relationships, war, and violence. Vola, the hermit lady in Act 2, was a personal favourite. Quirky, plucky, simple yet wise, to me she was the most entertaining and transformative character in the book.

Pax is a story with a lot of depth and heart, and one that wraps itself around sensitive issues. For teachers and parents searching for a read-aloud with discussion possibilities, this would be a good choice. Independent, mature middle-grade readers - especially animal & nature lovers – would absolutely love to read the book on their own, too.
( )

This book is well written and tells a marvelous story. Anyone that enjoys following the story of an animal and it's owner will enjoy it. My personal struggle with the story is that it is so well written that the parts that are difficult for the fox and his boy were emotionally draining and made me want to cry. So while I don't always enjoy reading books that make me feel that way, I can see how this book would be popular with many people!

The characters throughout the story jump of the page and into your heart! I also loved hearing from the perspective of Pax and how he interpreted the information in the world around him! ( )

This book is about the sudden separation of Pax and "his boy" Peter because Peter has to stay at his grandfathers house since his father has been sent off to war and Peters grandfather does not want Pax to come along. After Pax was left all alone, he sets out on a quest to get back to Peter and this whole book is told in alternating points of view of Pax and Peter adventuring to find each other. I could use this book in my classroom as a fun read, but I would also have to incorporate the second book as well, so the students can read both. This book is also told during the war, so the reader can learn a little about history as well. ( )

Excellent novel study book. Using it currently for a Grade 5 class, but have also used it with Grade 6 students. ( )

A very deep and bittersweet story for middle graders. ( )

perfect ( )

A poignant tale about a boy and his fox; an excellent read that I got through in a short sitting. ( )

I’m not crying
You are!

Gave me Shiloh vibes
Love how the author gets into the feeling of freedom
Not sure what war took place
Hope the boy went back to his grandpa

The Apple should fall far from the tree ( )

A box about a boy who abandons his pet fox when his father tells him he has to, but who then changes his mind and journeys to get his fox back.

Powerfully and beautifully written, with alternating chapters from the boy and the fox, it touches on powerful themes of war and disability, found family, knowing yourself, telling the truth, fear of becoming like family you dislike, loss, love and not giving up. ( )

Peter (human) and Pax (fox) have a special relationship, but Peter is forced to abandon Pax. Immediately regretting his decision, Peter decides to rescue Pax and the book is told in alternating chapters about the trials and tribulations of both. Peter breaks his foot, and is nursed both physically and emotionally by the mysterious Vola while Pax finds a young and old fox friend, who help him survive in the wild. I think the book's portrayal of humans was pretty harsh, but accurate. The ending was not what I expected, but I liked it even though some important things were left a bit unresolved. I would have liked more illustrations for this middle school reader. Kudos to Ms. Pennypacker for beating one of Riordan's 2016 books in the GR voting. ( )

Overall, a good piece of work. To be admired for its frank approach to heartbreak, fear, love, loss, and resolve. And the illustrations are absolute gems...wish there were more of them! It is DARK, though. It opens with the most desolate of scenes, a boy having to drive away the fox he has cherished and cared for through much of his life, and I wondered if I wanted to read the rest. Chapters alternate between the boy and the fox, and both are frightened, in pain, and staunch. The fox is believable - she has clearly done her homework on fox behavior, with allowances for the purposes of the story. I did keep turning pages, though I had a feeling (correct, as it turned out) how this would end. I think Pennypacker made some choices that weaken the book: there is simply too much packed (no pun intended) in here, especially for a middle-grade novel. Dead or coldhearted parents, a hermitic woman, a vague war, PTSD, violent deaths and dismemberments, baseball... It all occurs in an oddly placeless, timeless setting that leaves all these elements a bit afloat in a murky sea. Perhaps this was meant to reflect how confusing and random the world seems to kids, but it needed a stronger anchor to reality. The language is forceful, she pulls no punches, and very admirably refuses to write down to her presumably young readers, which means that older kids and adults will also find this readable and engaging. Sometimes disturbing, confusing, also poignant and brave... An unusual and dark story, but definitely worth the read. ( )