Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sweet
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This coming of age story is about a boy, Peter, and his fox, Pax. Although Peter rescued Pax as a kit, it seems Pax also rescued Peter. Their bond is strong and that makes it difficult when they are separated by necessity as the war approaches the area where they live. This novel is told in alternating points of view from Pax & Peter as they journey to reunite. Pax must learn to fend for himself in the wild. Peter must build his strength back after a serious injury at the onset of his quest to find Pax. They both grow as they meet others on their journey. A touching story indeed.
As a lover of both animals and young people’s fiction, I adored this. I can understand it might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I found it beautiful and moving.
I'm not sure who this book is for... kids who like to cry? veterans who wanna read kids books? It's kinda like a wartorn Where the Red Fern Grows, with a fox and his boy, irreparably altered by their efforts to reunite. Overly ham-fisted, heavy on coincidence & moralizing.
My heart is so broken. I am both incredibly satisfied and unsatisfied with the ending. You know what I mean if you've read it. I have so many questions about the next step of Peter's journey, but I know that through the course of the book, he has learned and become so much, so I am confident for his bright future. I spent the last two pages with tears in my eyes. I would recommend this book for older middle grades, as the book has a serious background, and can be a little harsh and jarring, thanks to the war story. That said, it is so beautifully done. My heart is broken and I am in love with this story.
*3.5 stars* 👏👏 Reading Animal stories always makes me incredibly nervous, this broke my heart and then fixed it and then broke it again. It made me happy while also making me sad and disappointed, of the ending were different i would have 5 stars but overall i quite liked this book.
Purtroppo la prevedibilità è il punto debole di questo libro. Un vero peccato.
3 stelline e 1/2
3 stelline e 1/2
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pax and Peter’s bond will stay with me; this is definitely a memorable book which is told from alternating viewpoints. I’m a huge animal-lover and so I was fully invested, expecting huge things from this story. The quality of the writing is good and I can imagine schools using this one to discuss some difficult themes including the impact of war etc. It’s quite a bleak book but told in a beautiful way.
There were more sad parts than heartwarming parts and I think content warnings are beneficial for younger readers who might find some of this particularly upsetting.
I found the setting to be vague/ confusing and made it difficult for me to picture where they were and what it felt like to be there. Along with an unsatisfying ending, I had to drop another star for that personally!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, War, Injury/Injury detail
I remember reviewing this book but I’m disappointed that my review appears to have disappeared. Here’s what I remember 6 months later:
Sweet story about a boy and his fox. Perspective shifts back and forth between the boy’s and the fox’s. It was a good read-aloud, and both of the stories had good lessons.
Sweet story about a boy and his fox. Perspective shifts back and forth between the boy’s and the fox’s. It was a good read-aloud, and both of the stories had good lessons.