Hello and happy Monday. This morning I had a hard time waking up and getting up, but here I am, bringing you a review of a book that I *actually finished.* It’s the little things, right? A few days ago I decided that I had to get it together and go through the list of books I’d started but hadn’t made any significant progress on or that I had in my TBR with no real intention to actually read. I even gave myself these deadlines to finish said books because come August I won’t have the time that I now have to read and I can sense a reading slump coming, and I just can’t afford to be on one. That’s how I ened up spending most of my Saturday reading Pax by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Jon Klassen.

Pax is the name of one of the main characters in this book, a fox who was domesticated by Peter, this young boy who is the other main character, and treated like a pet until Peter’s dad forces him to abandon Pax in the woods. This is marketed as a middle grade book, but honestly, I would be careful to recommend it to some readers, regardless of their age, if they tend to be sensitive, especially when it comes to animals getting hurt. I am a very sensitive reader in that regard, so it was hard for me to read some scenes, even if others might not consider them overly graphic. Always read a book before recommending it to children, just to be sure.

I think Pax poses important questions about the war and what it truly costs, grief, growing up, and human nature. It is a book that if you as an adult decide to read with or to a child, could spark interesting conversations that might not be evident when reading the synopsis. It is short, but it might take time to go through because some scenes or situations might be too impactful and require a break. There is a sequel to this book and yes, I will add it to my wishlist.