Pax, Journey Home

Pax, Journey Home is the sequel to Sara Pennypacker’s award-winning book Pax. The first book begins with Peter’s father forcing him to abandon Pax, putting him back into the wild. Peter’s father has just joined the military, and Peter is driven to live with his grandfather, nearly 300 miles away from home. Peter is riddled with anxiety, feeling as if he’s not where he belongs: with Pax. Soon, he sets off on a journey of his own to find Pax.

Along the way, Peter injures his leg, and it is then that he meets Vola. Vola, a former soldier, lives deep in the woods, away from most other humans, and Peter stays with her while his leg heals. Meanwhile, Pax has joined a group of foxes and is learning to navigate the wild for the first time. By the end of the book, the pair reunite but ultimately decide to go their separate ways, knowing they’ll find each other again if needed.

The book is praised for exploring the connections between humans and nature, as well as human relationships. Among other strategies, this is achieved by touching on the Buddhist philosophy of nondualism.