Pax, journey home

Pax #2

by Sara Pennypacker

From bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes the long-awaited sequel to Pax; gorgeously crafted, utterly compelling with stunning illustrations by award-winning author and illustrator Jon Klassen.It's been a year since Peter and his pe

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Animals, Childrens, Young Adult, Audiobook, Adventure

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2021

Reviews

[Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5
Podobała mi się nawet bardziej od I tomu, ale szczerze nie wiem czy dałabym ją dziecku.

[Charlotte May · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful second instalment 💖 🦊

I am so pleased the author decided to write a sequel! Part of the reason I gave the first book 3.5 stars was because it left me with so many questions! Would Peter ever see Pax again? Where does he live?

So this book was exactly what I wanted. We rejoin Peter who is now living with Vola in her cabin. Pax and Bristle have had kits and are trying to find a safe place to raise them.

Peter joins the Water Warriors, an organised group designed to help clean the water in the woods that have become contaminated since the war.

When one of Pax’s kits becomes ill from drinking contaminated water he seeks help from the one human he knows he can trust.

A wonderful book, that ties up any questions you may have from the first book and is overall a lovely and positive reading experience.

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

fulfilling my 2022 vow to read more YA/finish series i have started and left unfinished

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pax is back with his mate Bristle and three little kits. Peter has also grown and matured, but is grieved over the loss of his father and bears emotional trauma from the war that has ended. In alternating chapters, Pax deals with the responsibility to provide and protect his family while Peter makes a decision to join the Water Warriors to help bring healing to the land. For both Peter and Pax there will be unexpected obstacles. Will they be reunited? Can Peter work through his grief over so much loss without a hard heart? Pennypacker gives us an intimate view of Peter's attempts to make a new life as well as the world of the fox. As she did in Pax, the animal characterization is beautifully done. Teachers will want to use this one as a read aloud.

Thank you to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss+ for a DRC. Since the ARC did not have the finished illustrations by Jon Klassen, I look forward to getting ahold of a published copy to enjoy the full book experience.

[Теодор Панов · Rating 5 out of 5]

Историята в „Пакс. Пътят към дома“ продължава една година след края на първата книга. Сюжетните линии отново са две – на Пакс, и на Питър. Разгърнати са общо в 44 глави, които се редуват последователно – по 22 глави за всеки.

Войната вече е приключила и оцелелите са се заели със задачата да възстановят унищоженото, като последствие природата е силно засегната. И в търсене на себе си обърканият Питър се включва в един такъв екип, където открива неочаквани приятели. Междувременно и животът на Пакс се е променил силно – вече привикнал към дивия живот и новото си семейство, през пролетта той става баща на три лисичета. И така започва едно цяло ново приключение. Докато Пакс и малката му дъщеря са поели на дълъг път към дома, събитията отново сблъскват Питър и Пакс в една силно вълнуваща и емоционална среща, и полагат основите на едно ново начало за Питър. Начало на нещо, за което той дори и не се е надявал.

Посланията в книгата, както и в първата част, отново са силно застъпени, трогателни и будещи размисъл. 270 страници, а авторката е успяла да каже толкова много важни неща в тях. И двете части са чудесни. Втората допълва отлично първата и дава този прекрасен финал – на надежда и ново начало, какъвто липсваше в първата.

📌 Ревю на книга 1

📽 Pax, Journey Home | Book Trailer – разкрива част от илюстрациите в книгата, които по принцип са черно бели, но в трейлъра са показани цветни и изглеждат още по-красиви. 💖

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

So heartwarming! I wasn’t sure a sequel could be as moving and lovely as Pax, but this book was that and more. Peter is trying to cut those who love him out of his life so he can avoid being hurt, but he soon learns that there is strength in vulnerabilities.

[E.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I was skeptical going into this book, because I was afraid it wouldn't measure up to the first one, but I'm glad to say I was 100% wrong.

PAX, JOURNEY HOME doesn't just amplify the events of the first book, it makes them even better with twists I didn't even see coming. Plot-wise, I'd say PAX, JOURNEY HOME had higher stakes and a more obvious character arc while still carrying all the simplistic beauty of PAX.

Once again, Pennypacker weaves heart-wrenching themes, a beautiful storyline, and the bond between a boy and his fox into a story that somehow manages to fit together like a masterpiece.

I do feel like in tone & themes, this book is a lot more mature than the first one. For one, Peter is older. And he's literally lost everything important to him. He's bearing the burdens of everyone he's loved and hurt in the process. He vows to never let anyone in again. At the root of the story is his journey is one of learning to grieve in a healthy way, move on, and through the forgiveness of others learn to forgive himself. A message I think so many of us need even though we don't realize it.

So would I recommend PAX, JOURNEY HOME? In one word: yes. Absolutely. It may not be everyone's thing, but if you're looking for a tear-jerking middle grade that deals with gorgeous themes with childlike simplicity, read. this. book. (and then tell me so we can fangirl/boy about it together ;))

[Tonkica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volim Paxa već duge četiri godine. Prije tri sam ga dobila na dar za rođendan od svojih dragih čitalica i jedna mi je od dražih priča na polici. Prijateljstvo dječaka Petera i lisice Paxa je posebno i kao takvo preporuka i za male, ali i za velike.

Cijeli osvrt na duologiju pronađite ovdje: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and bittersweet sequel that redeemed the first book for me. The author does a very good job at writing about grief and I appreciated Peter’s character arc as he faced and allowed himself to feel the grief he had been using anger and fear to protect himself from, opening himself to love and connection. Nice to have all the questions that were left hanging in the end of book one resolved in book 2.

[DoGoryKsiazkami · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐️

I’m not crying… you are crying. 😭

Jedna z najpiękniejszych historii opisujących relacje człowieka ze zwierzęciem, ale tym razem też mocno zahaczająca o temat żałoby, tęsknoty, strachu przed „życiem po” i o głębokim smutku. 💔

Przeszyła mnie na wskroś.

P.S.
Może powinnam dać 5⭐️? Jeszcze pomyślę.

[eris · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨
coś pięknego

[Joseph Brink · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 out of 5 stars for the story, 10 out of 5 stars for the art.

There's something sort of frustrating about this book. It's got the most gorgeous cover imaginable and jaw-dropping interior art, and yet the story itself just feels sort of meh.

It's decently well written, with interesting characters and great emotional beats, but... idk. There's something off about it.

For one thing, the message is too simplistic. War is evil, this book tells us. It is so much better to build up than to destroy.

Yes, this is true, but it needs qualifiers. This series is entirely based around an ambiguous war. By avoiding talking about what the war is about, the author is able to paint in black and white and say all war is evil because "look at all these bad consequences".

But the truth is, war is often very, very necessary. If no one stepped in and opposed Hitler, we'd have much worse consequences than we did through the war to stop him. What the author here is missing is how war can often be an act of love and not just destruction---defending the weak and innocent from powerful evils. Not all conflicts can be resolved by talking. True heroes know when to pick up arms and go to war.

Overall, I enjoyed this read, but it was a bit slow. As with book one, the chapters from Pax's POV were slow and not super interesting, and I found myself always looking forward to the chapters from Peter's POV. Overall, I think I enjoyed book 1 more, though I like the art in book 2 better.

The best thing about these books is Jon Klassen's art. Seriously, that man is gifted. If I owned this book, I would put it on display in my room even though I don't totally love the story because the cover is just that good.



-----Currently Reading:--------

AAAAHHHH THaT COVER!!!!

This is seriously the most gorgeous book cover I have ever seen (and the back cover is gorgeous too)!!!! And the interior illustrations!!! *screams*

I absolutely LOVE Jon Klassen's art... it's to die for. And this book showcases some of his loveliest art.

I loved Book 1, but not so much that I wanted to rush out and read the sequel instantly... in fact, it was properly my least favorite Jon Klassen-accompanied novel so far, but that's not saying a lot because they've all been amazing (including Pax).

Really, I'm mainly reading this because of how much I love Jon Klassen's art, which, come to think of it is why I read the first book as well (and every thing I've read that Klassen illustrated pretty much...)

So far, I've read approximately 8 novels and a dozen picture books solely because they were illustrated by Klassen (pretty much)... and I've loved every single one. Which makes me wonder, is it Jon Klassen's artwork that makes the stories he's featured alongside so good, OR is it that he has good tastes when it comes to stories and won't be featured alongside stories that aren't less than amazing?

Either way, I'm pretty much guaranteed to love this book. Also, even if I don't end up loving this book, I want me a copy just so I can put it up on display in my room (like I did with Book 1 for months) because that cover is sooo pretty. =)

[Jon Klassen rant complete.]

I'm quite enjoying the story so far! I love the older Peter and the older Pax and seeing how they've both grown and changed since book 1... and there's some new interesting situations that are arising. I'm super excited to see how this all plays out!!!

[Christine Indorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a 4.5 read for me. Peter is alone or though he feels as if he is. He is trying to get over the lost of his father and his best friend Pax. When he feels like he needs a journey to go back to where he is from he leaves all he knows and goes sign up to help clean the water after the war, but in reality he is off to go back to his home to start life again. On his journey he meets people who help him who show him that life is worth living. Pax is a father. He has 3 pups and has a close bond with his girl who is adventurous. When she gets sick off the unclean water he is wondering how he can save her. Will Pax save his girl and will Peter have a way to help? Such a wonderful book on love and friendship and the sacrifice we sometimes have to make for the best of those we love. I hope there will be a book 3 for this wonderful story. Highly recommend!!

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this follow up to Pax. Peter is grieving for the loss of both his parents and carrying his guilt over releasing Pax into the wild a year ago.

In the meantime, Pax and his partner Bristle welcome three kits to their family.

Peter and Pax’s worlds collide when Pax’s youngest kit is in trouble. Pax has to make a choice whether to seek out Peter for help.

This is heartwarming. I like the inclusion of the connection of the Water Warriors seeking to clean up the water supply.

The first book that has made me cry in a while. Thank you Ms. Pennypacker.

[Sara Bakhshiani · Rating 5 out of 5]

بامزه واقعا. دوسش داشتم. شاید حتی بیشتر از جلد یک.
چقد قشنگ حس‌هایی مثل رهایی و ترس از, از دست دادن آدم ها رو به تصویر کشیده بود.
واقعا این دوتا جلد کتاب لایق این هستند که هروقت کسی ازم خواست کتاب خوب برای سنین نوجوان معرفی کنم
اولین گزینم باشن.
الان توی شرایط روحی مناسبی نیستم که بخوام بیشتر از این بنویسم ولی موقع خوندن کتاب واقعا حس های مختلفی رو تجربه کردم و چندبار حتی بغض کردم و به روبه رو خیره شدم :)))))

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pax, Journey Home is the long-awaited sequel to Pax and is an inspiring and hopeful story about the importance of family and how love can be the ultimate healer. It's been a year since he found refuge with former soldier Vola and Peter who is now mourning his losses while grappling with feelings of guilt and alienation, embarks upon a journey back to his home with two military veterans who are part of a community calling themselves Water Warriors who work to heal the land from the scars of war. He plans to join the Junior Water Warriors and assist with repurposing wartime machinery, buildings and other infrastructure to reclaim the reservoirs, rivers and waterways that were poisoned throughout the conflict by toxicities. He then plans to live alone separated from the others, as at age 13 he feels he is capable and determined enough to be able to make it work. Meanwhile, Pax mates with Bristle and becomes a devoted father to three beautiful kits. When one of them becomes disabled after drinking poisoned water, Pax searches out Peter to obtain his help in saving the kit from certain death in the wild.

The selfless sacrifices Pax makes as a father to attempt to save the runt of the litter will warm even the coldest heart. This is a truly exquisite tale for adults and children alike, and it alternates between Peter and Pax’s perspectives to depict the struggles they are both currently facing - one as an animal and one as a human. It's tender, emotionally touching and full of intricate details that make the story shine like a gem. It's a deftly nuanced and stunning novel that highlights injustice especially when it comes to the suffering felt by both children and animals during wartime; those who are so often neglected and not taken into account. However, Pennypacker also emphasises the bonds that emerge among those from different backgrounds who come together to fight against a common enemy. This is a captivating, richly engaging read from beginning to bookend that explores the fragility of the human heart and just how powerful friendship and brotherhood can be. As in the original Pax book, award-winning illustrator John Klassen has once again produced delightful imagery for both the cover art and interior pages. Highly recommended.

[DrBreeseReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this but it wasn’t as good as the first and I am not so sure we needed it. It was good to have things settled and for Peter to learn more about himself but sometimes I felt things were being tied up too nicely.

The writing is still beautiful and I was utterly compelled by the story. It just felt a little bit too sentimental in places whereas the first one was much tougher and perhaps more realistic.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fell an Fell standen sie da, und ihr Gesang sprach von ihrem ganz eigenen Verlust und von all den Verlusten der ganzen Welt. Doch er erzählte auch von der Freude, die geblieben war."
Der Junge Peter und der Fuchs Pax, haben sich verloren, wiedergefunden, getrennt und leben nun neue Leben. Doch immer noch erinnern sie sich an ihre Freundschaft.
Auch diese Fortsetzung ist wieder wunderschön und zu Herzen gehend. Peter, ein Junge der mit den Nachwirkungen und Verlusten des Krieges leben muss, ebenso wie Pax, der zeigt wie schwer es auch die Tiere hatten , und wie nahe die Tiere uns sind. Ich mag den unaufgeregten, ja poetischen Schreibstil der Autorin, ich mag die Menschlichkeit und Herzlichkeit der Geschichte, die nicht nur rosarot schön ist sondern auch grau und hässlich sein kann. Ein Buch, nicht nur für Kinder wertvoll.

[Makayla Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great middle-grade book and such a sweet story🥰.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart!

[Sandra Nedopričljivica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nove avanture dječaka Petera i njegovog lisca. Prvi dio isto za 5, ovaj mi je čak i bolji

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, (I guess?) rounded down.

This was a sequel I had no idea was coming, but one that I'm glad exists. One thing I recall disliking from book 1 in particular was the ending, and I can say that this book's ending was far better. As for the rest of the book...well, it varied. I enjoyed Pax's chapters but usually almost always felt like Peter's chapters were a slog. His arc of overcoming the toxic masculinity values his father and grandfather instilled in him permeated his chapters. This being a middle-grade book, the themes were very blunt and were hammered in your face over and over again, which grated on my nerves quite often.

In contrast, Pax's chapters were adorable and the interactions between him and his daughter, a tiny and inquisitive vixen, were some of the most wholesome moments I've read in a long time.

One thing that really surprised me was how dark this book would sometimes get, complete with the boy protagonist going through his “penance” in which he imagines over and over killing his pet fox when he'd first found him, rather than rescuing him. There were some actual animal deaths mentioned as a result of heavily polluted water because of a war too...so, yeah, despite the cover and adorable fox moments, this wasn't exactly a light book at all.

[Amy S (bookish.contentment) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and heartwarming sequel to Pax that also poses lots to think about the impact war has on the environment.

[Erica Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Anne (ReadEatGameRepeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. The first Pax book does leave some (reasonable) questions that you're wondering about but nothing that made me think I really needed a sequel, so I was curious what this book would be about.
It took me a little bit to get into the book, I wasn't loving the direction the characters had taken in the time between the end of the first book and the start of this book. For quite a few of the first chapters I was really wondering if this book was necessary, what was this story giving me that PAx on its own hadn't? By the end my opinion had taken almost a complete 180 and this book gave me exactly what I had expected to get from Pax when I first picked that book up. In the final few chapters at the emotional climax I was really just trying my best (and failing) to not cry. I was really surprised by how impactful it ended up being.

I really liked the discussion in this book, although a little surface level, about the impact of war not only on the people that fight in it but also on the environment and how important it is for people to go back and try to help the land heal in whatever capacity is needed and that the book actually took some time to show what it would take to do that!

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 étoiles. J'étais un peu inquiet à propos de ce livre, car le premier était assez bon mais très lourd, et j'avais peur que la suite n'aggrave les choses. Mais ce n’est pas le cas. Ce livre a rendus le premier 100% meilleur et je l’ai tellement aimé. Ça m’a même fait apprécier tome 1 encore plus qu’avant.

Bien que cela commence à peu près là où l’autre s'est terminé avec Peter chez Vola et Pax avec sa compagne (bien qu'ils aient changé de maison), cela change rapidement de scène une fois que Peter rejoint les Soldats Juniors et que Pax retourne à la campagne près de la fameuse usine de corde, à la recherche d'un foyer sûr pour sa famille. Je pense que cela symbolise assez bien le sujet du livre : revenir sur les événements du premier livre, faire la paix avec le passé, le comprendre et l’abandonner pour passer à autre chose.

J'aime Peter. Il a été dur avec moi dans le premier livre, parce qu'il était plein de colère, d'amertume et de douleur, mais dans ce livre, cela a fini par éclater et s'estomper – bien plus que dans le premier livre. Cela m’a brisé le cœur de le voir essayer si fort d’arracher tout amour de sa vie, projetant délibérément de vivre seul dans son ancienne maison pour être « en sécurité »… allant jusqu’à brûler tout son ancienne vie… il était beaucoup trop vieux pour son âge, et ça faisait mal ! Pax était le merveilleux vieux Pax fidèle – sa loyauté était un baume pour l'âme – et j'adorais Jade et Samuel. Surtout Jade, bien sûr – elle était si aimante, attentionnée et dynamique – mais Samuel était également charmant, avec son amour évident pour elle. Son histoire était incroyable. Vola était aussi splendide – bien plus saine que dans le premier livre, mais tout aussi sage et aimant. Et le grand-père est enfin réconcilié… et oh ! le père de Peter ! Je n’étais pas prêt pour cet arc de rédemption mais oh, ça m’a rendu tellement heureuse.

L’intrigue était moins excitante que le premier livre, puisqu’il n’y a pas de guerre, mais d’une manière ou d’une autre, elle semblait tout aussi captivante, même si c’était à cause de troubles émotionnels cette fois. Je DEVAIS continuer à lire, je devais juste m'assurer que Peter trouve la vérité et l'amour, et que la famille de Pax soit en sécurité. Cette fin était tellement bonne – sérieusement, cette suite s'intègre TELLEMENT bien dans le premier tome et le complète parfaitement. Vous ne pouvez pas lire uniquement le premier tome, vous devez lire les deux. J’aime, j’aime, j’ADORE le message du choix de l’amour, malgré sa douleur… et la fin du traumatisme générationnel…

Je pense que j'ai pleuré, cette fois. Mais c’est sûr que je l’ai gardé près de mon cœur quand j’ai fini. Je dois acheter mes propres exemplaires des deux livres maintenant et les relire bientôt. <3

———

5 stars. I was a little anxious about this book, because the first one was quite good but very heavy, and I was worried the sequel would make things worse. But it didn’t. It made them 100% better, and I loved it SO much. It’s even made me appreciate book 1 even more than before.

While it starts pretty much where it let off with Peter at Vola’s and Pax with his mate (though they’ve changed homes), it quickly changes scene once Peter joins the Junior Soldiers and Pax heads back to the countryside near the infamous rope factory, seeking a safe home for his family. I think that symbolizes pretty well what the book is about—going back over the events of the first book, and the past, and making peace with them, understanding them, and letting go of them to move on.

I love Peter. He was hard on me in the first book, because he was full of so much anger and bitterness and pain, but in this book it finally burst out and ebbed away—much more so than in the first book. It broke my heart to see his trying so hard to tear everything of love out of his life, deliberately planning to live alone in his old house so he could be “safe”… going so far as to burn everything of his old life… he was much too old for his years, and it hurt! Pax was his wonderful old faithful self—his loyalty was a balm to the soul—and I loved Jade and Samuel. Mostly Jade, of course—she was so loving and thoughtful and vibrant—but Samuel was delightful, too, with his obvious love for her. His story was amazing. Vola was epic, too—so much healthier than in the first book, but just as wise and loving. And the grandfather is finally reconciled… and oh! Peter’s father! I wasn’t ready for that redemption arc but oh, it made me so happy.

The plot was less exciting than the first book, since there wasn’t a war going on, but somehow it felt quite as gripping, though it was because of emotional turmoil this time. I just HAD to keep reading, just had to make sure Peter found truth and love, and Pax’s family was safe. That ending was so, so good—seriously, this sequel fits into book one SO well and compliments it perfectly. You can’t read just book one, you have to read both. I love, love, LOVE the message of choosing love, despite its pain… and the ending of generational trauma…

I think I cried, this time. But for sure, I held it close to my heart when I finished. I have to buy my own copies of both books now and reread them soon. <3

[panna.marple · Rating 5 out of 5]

To jest coś cudownego i otulającego serce. Podobała mi się jeszcze bardziej niż pierwsza część.

[میم صالحی فر · Rating 5 out of 5]

خیلی عمیق بود و با روح ادم بازی می کرد.
یه جاهایی بدون اینکه بفهمم، چند قطره اشکی هم گرفته بود...
بعدا درباره اش می نویسم

پانویس: تصویرگری های جان کلاسن، به خصوص تصویر جلد را تحویل بگیرید حتما!

[Rach! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable! Everything about this book was perfect ❤️

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this continuation of the story of Peter and his fox Pax. A lovely middle reader.