Book Review: Pax

Pax, by Sara Pennypacker is the kind of book you wish you’d written. It’s the kind of book, that when you’re reading it, makes you equally wonder at and envy the authors’ skill and talent. It’s the kind of story you see, you hear, you smell… not merely read. 

First published in 2016, this children’s novel reflects Pennypacker’s artistic background. The level of visual details rivals the works of Thomas Hardy, but without the monotony; a fine feat, indeed.

The story of a fox and ‘his boy’, this one is a heart-string-tugger and tear-jerker. 

Pax, an orphaned kit, is rescued by Peter – a little boy with his own demons to battle. Soon enough, though, his father must go into literal battle, and Peter must abandon Pax. 

The parallels between Peter and Pax are depicted masterfully – in their journeys towards finding their true selves, in their efforts towards the other, and in the chapters of the book, which oscillate between the perspectives of animal and human. 

I read this book over a period of several weeks, as the bedtime story to my 8 and 10 year olds. The story is so intriguing, that sometimes I continued reading one chapter after another, because we simply couldn’t bear to wait for another night. 

One warning, though: be prepared to cry.