Pax
This is a gem! Don’t let the cover deceive you, for this is a story for all ages to read. From the first chapter, this novel pulled at my heart strings and I knew it would be one that I will be passing on to others. I believe that Pax will soon find itself among those stories that everyone will call their favorite, those stories that we all recall on instinct. There is a connection between a boy and a fox in this story and as I read, I reminisced about reading these types of stories as a child. I would read these stories over and over again for there is something special about these bonds, and reading Pax, I felt this same way, for these types of stories will never leave you. They make their mark on your heart and stay with you forever. Pax will be like Benji, like Charlotte’s Web, and Shiloh, just to name a few, books that leave you with an impression and a book that you will want to read over and over again. Inside these books, you find comfort, excitement and a message that fills you like no other. As I looked back through the novel, I realized the author used many adjectives to describe the world around me. I didn’t realize this as I was reading for I was submerged inside Pax and Peter world and nothing else mattered. Jon provided a few sketched illustrations throughout the novel and for younger children, I believe these illustrations would be helpful but for me, Sara’s words alone had casted a wonderful picture for me to draw upon. This was a brilliant, exhilarating story that I truly enjoyed!
He licks his salty tears; he’s there to comfort him but why he is crying he is not sure. The angry voice comes again from the father and the begging voice suddenly appears from the boy. The car stops suddenly and they all step out onto the grass. The boy has the old plastic soldier; it is the fox’s favorite toy and he believes they are going to play his favorite game. As the fox retrieves the soldier, hunting it down after the boy threw it, the fox hears the car doors slam and the humans drive away. The distant sound of “Peter!” and “Pax” is what the fox hears as he tries to grasp what just occurred. After reading this, I knew there was no turning back, my morning was devoted to Peter and Pax. What!?! Why were they being separated? So much is happening now is Peter’s life. He’s being dropped off at his grandfather’s now, his father is headed off to war and he just lost his Pax. Peter is dreading the decision his father made to leave Pax out in the woods. Pax was only a few weeks old when Peter rescued him as a kit and he is scared of what might happen to Pax as he tries to fend for himself out in woods. Peter misses Pax immensely. He knows what he must do. He begins packing for Peter believes it will take him one week to trek the 300 mile to locate him. With alternating viewpoints, we hear as Peter begins walking to the place where they dropped Pax off, just hoping Pax stayed there and is waiting for them. Peter is anxious, worried and in a hurry. As he hurries along, he hurts his foot and his trip is delayed. Pax, himself is experiencing a whole new world, with new smells, different creatures and a broader sense of the world which could lead him into greater danger and newer opportunity. Pax is used to being waited on by Peter and now he must fend for himself. Finding food and water, coexisting with other animals including wolves and foxes, Pax must learn the way of the wild. Separated, their thoughts are of each other but they must each continue to live their own life and survive in the hopes of one day, they can be reunited and live to tell of the journey that they had, that brought them back together.
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