PAX, by Sara Pennypacker

The story: Dad's going off to war, Peter's going to his grandfather's, and Pax is abandoned by the side of the road. Peter raised the fox from a kit, and he knows Pax doesn't have the skills to survive in the wild on his own--so once Dad leaves, Peter does too. He's on the run, determined to cover the 300 miles to the place where they left Pax and rescue his beloved pet. But war and nature have other plans, and without help from unexpected places, Peter will never be able to complete the journey on his own.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (war and its aftermath) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Told in alternating chapters shifting between Peter's and Pax's stories, this is a tale about resiliency and love. It's not one that the average MS reader will pick up on their own, and it does seem geared to younger audiences. However, Peter's courage and Pax's own journey of learning will appeal to fans of Applegate's "The One and Only Ivan", "War Horse" by Morpurgo, or the "Saving Zasha" books by Barrow.