Pax, Journey Home

Description: It has been a year since newly orphaned Peter and his pet fox Pax, now a protective father, have seen each other, but their paths cross again when Pax's kit falls desperately ill forcing him to turn to the one human he knows he can trust.

Brief description:

Jon Klassen is a Canadian-born author-illustrator. His books include I Want My Hat Back; This Is Not My Hat, winner of the Caldecott Medal; We Found a Hat; and The Skull. Jon is also the illustrator of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett and The Dark by Lemony Snicket, among many others. He is a Member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to children's literature. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.

Review Quotes:

"The book's message is most simply put by Pax when he tells his kit that "after loving, you are afraid," but it is still worth it. It's a hard heart that will keep the tears away for this one, so have plenty of tissues nearby." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The stakes feel higher this time, the pain deeper, making for a worthy sequel and a heartbreaking and beautifully life-affirming exploration of the concepts of home, family, and the love that makes it all worthwhile." - Booklist

"Satisfying yet bittersweet conclusion. Klassen's interspersed scene-setting black-and-white art adds textured layers of complexity. This sensitively imagined story effectively explores issues of human-animal connection, emotional vulnerability, the aftermath of conflict, and found family." - The Horn Book (starred review)

"Pennypacker brilliantly walks this tightrope of evoking the power and pain of love. The end result is a story about healing and forgiveness: healing from war, from poisons in the environment, from pain and loss, from the ways people disappoint those they love." - New York Journal of Books

"This is a deftly nuanced look at the fragility and strength of the human heart. An impressive sequel." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)