Scan barcode
A review by jypsel
Pax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker
5.0
Pax, Journey Home, by Sara Pennypacker continues the dual narration of Pax and Peter one year later. Pax has a mate and a bundle of kits now and Peter has gone to join the Water Warriors, a group of people who are dedicated to cleaning up the mess the war left. When Pax's kit falls ill, he seeks Peter out and their journey, finally, comes full circle.
What a beautiful ending to a beautiful story. The circular nature of this narrative left me feeling so fulfilled and happy, even though I definitely cried while reading this. Last year, I read Pax with my 4th graders before the sequel was out. I had no idea a sequel even existed so after reading it with a new set of students this year, I immediately bought it for them to read on their own -- and, in fact, I am currently writing this while said students take an exam and one of them is already reading it.
The amazing thing about Pax and its sequel is that it does not shy away from the hard emotions that everyone feels. This can be unusual for an elementary or middle school book. In this book, Peter's heart break, his distrust and fear, his loneliness: all of that is palpable. You can feel the internal struggle he faces lift off the page during his POV. He is a complicated teenager who is facing complicated situations and trying to discover who he is: an angry boy who resents the wrold? a boy doomed to be like his father? someone else entirely?
And in Pax's POV, it's equally enthralling as Pax navigates what it means to be a father, what it means to be a wild fox living in a climate that is not suitable for animals right now due to the metallic water. Reading about the pride he feels for his children, for the love he feels for Bristle - even though these things are not explicitly said - was a joy.
All in all, this book title is perfection because reading Pax, Journey Home truly felt like coming home. Pennypacker has written a novel that will resonate with readers of all ages and remind them that, in the end, they are the authors of their own stories.
What a beautiful ending to a beautiful story. The circular nature of this narrative left me feeling so fulfilled and happy, even though I definitely cried while reading this. Last year, I read Pax with my 4th graders before the sequel was out. I had no idea a sequel even existed so after reading it with a new set of students this year, I immediately bought it for them to read on their own -- and, in fact, I am currently writing this while said students take an exam and one of them is already reading it.
The amazing thing about Pax and its sequel is that it does not shy away from the hard emotions that everyone feels. This can be unusual for an elementary or middle school book. In this book, Peter's heart break, his distrust and fear, his loneliness: all of that is palpable. You can feel the internal struggle he faces lift off the page during his POV. He is a complicated teenager who is facing complicated situations and trying to discover who he is: an angry boy who resents the wrold? a boy doomed to be like his father? someone else entirely?
And in Pax's POV, it's equally enthralling as Pax navigates what it means to be a father, what it means to be a wild fox living in a climate that is not suitable for animals right now due to the metallic water. Reading about the pride he feels for his children, for the love he feels for Bristle - even though these things are not explicitly said - was a joy.
All in all, this book title is perfection because reading Pax, Journey Home truly felt like coming home. Pennypacker has written a novel that will resonate with readers of all ages and remind them that, in the end, they are the authors of their own stories.