book reviews for kids the wild robot and pax

The reason I hesitate to recommend this for younger listeners is because there is death and loss that might be difficult without parental guidance. I liked how it makes the reader/listener think about our behavior towards each other and nature. The author uses the story to comment on war, love, injury, society, friendship and even environmental issues. They grow in their new situations and they find friends to help them and whom they help. I really liked the warm bond between Peter and Pax. They both run across obstacles and dangers along their journey to find each other.

The story is told in alternating views for Peter and Pax. She isn’t thrilled to have a young boy show up in her barn but she can’t send him back out without helping him. She was traumatized by her experience as a soldier and withdrew from society. Peter meets a gruff female who lives a secluded life. Pax makes friends with an older fox who agrees to travel with him to try to go back home to meet with Peter. The young kit is thrilled to play with Pax but the vixen smells humans on Pax and wants nothing to do with him. Pax meets a vixen and her little brother. Finally, the little fox must move to find water and food. Two hundred or so miles away, Pax waits at the edge of the woods for ‘his boy’ to return for him. He takes his backpack and a few supplies to return to the woods to get his beloved Pax. After arriving at his Grandfather’s Peter realizes what a mistake it was to have left Pax behind.

His father insists that Pax be dropped off in the woods as he delivers Peter to another town to live with his grandfather while father is away a war. Peter is now 12 and his father has enlisted in the military to help protect the homeland. Peter has raised Pax since a young kit who lost his parents. I had hoped it would be good for my grandchildren to listen to but I think they would have to be middle grade and up. I was drawn by the cover and blurb of this title. Beautifully written: friendship, loss, growth

Book reviews for kids the wild robot and pax