Have you ever wanted a pet fox? Well, Peter sure feels pretty lucky to have one. When Pax was only a kit, his family was killed, and he was rescued by Peter. The two have been a pair ever since, always together. Until one day, Peter’s dad enlists in the military and is called away to the war front. Since Peter’s mother died, he must go to live with his grandfather. But the old man cannot handle a fox in his house, albeit a highly well-trained one. Before Peter can go to his grandfather’s house, he has to get rid of Pax. He and his father drive to the woods and leave the fox there, driving away before he can react.
When Pax is abandoned in the woods by his humans, he has to do his best to protect himself. It is difficult, however. He has never been alone before; he has always had someone, first the rest of his litter of four, then his boy, Peter. He soon meets another fox, a vixen, and her brother. The vixen is cautious and unfriendly, but her brother is careless and playful. The vixen does not trust Pax, and she does not welcome him because he has lived with humans. Almost immediately after going to live with his grandfather, Peter runs away, scared for his fox and convinced he must find him again. But soon, he is injured, and it is clear that he won’t be able to continue on his journey. Will Peter find his fox? Will Pax find safety in the woods? Pax is a touching and honest book. It is very open about war, struggles, and strong bonds. Pax is a great book for people who like reading about animals, adventures, and long, difficult journeys. I would definitely recommend Pax for pretty much any reader. About the Author: Sara Pennypacker Sara Pennypacker is the author of seventeen children’s books, such as Pax Journey Home (the sequel to Pax), Leeva At Last, Here in the Real World, and the Clementine series. Her books have won many awards, including a Christopher’s Medal and a Golden Kite Award; many children’s choice state awards; and have appeared on many 'Best Books' lists. Sources:
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By: Maya Lovria This book has 7 sections/stories, one for each woman talked about in the story. The main characters are Caroline Herschel, Florence Nightingale, Hertha Marks Ayrton, Marie Tharp, Katherine Johnson, Edna Lee Paisano, and Vera Rubin. A biographical novel-in-verse, this book tells their stories and their contributions to science and math. It covers their lives and the journeys they took to become important figures in history. A few details about some sections: Caroline has always loved music, so when her brother offers to take her to England to join a choir, she accepts. When her brother has her look through a telescope, Caroline becomes fascinated with the sky. Read more to find out how this led to her making history! (Caroline Herschel) Always on the move with her mapmaker father and sewing whiz mother, Marie never stays in one place long enough to make friends. But that’s all right, she has all she needs: her National Geographic magazines and her drawing materials. Marie goes on to make both maps and history. This story will teach you more about Marie’s notable contributions to society and the road she took to making them. (Marie Tharp) Edna is a member of the Nez Perce Nation. She loves math, both in school and out, where she uses it to make bar graphs for comparing sales of the goods her family sells. When she joins the US Census Bureau, she notices that many Nez Perce Nation members are not on the papers due to uncomfortable or difficult questions. Read about how she goes on to right these wrongs and become famous. (Edna Lee Paisano) Grasping Mysteries will teach you more about 7 important women who excelled in their fields and made history. Each person covered has an important story to be told, and this book tells them. A delightful read, Grasping Mysteries is very readable, especially because the sentences are not long, but short to fit the novel-in-verse format. It also helps you learn about the past without even realizing it. About the Author: Jeannine Atkins Jeannine Atkins has written several books for children/younger readers about notable women and their contributions to the world, especially in math, science, and the arts. In addition to Grasping Mysteries, she also wrote books such as Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science, Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis, and Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters. Sources:
By: Maya Lovria
“Her mother called her Odder from the day she was born. Something about the way the little pup never settled, something about the way her eyes were always full of questions.” Odder is the Queen of Play. As a sea otter who lives off the coast of central California, she spends her blissful days frolicking and playing in the waves. She always has a new move to show off, a new act to perfect, a new trick to perform. From dive bombing to the ocean floor to cracking open delicious mussels with her favorite rock, life is always a wonderful adventure for young Odder. A fearless daredevil, and always curious, young Odder is constantly approaching humans: from surfers and boaters to scuba divers and people in canoes. No matter how many times the humans move her away into quieter waters with less trouble and humans, she always comes back. But Odder one day leads herself and her cautious, timid, and careful friend Kairi into trouble. After a dangerous encounter with a great white shark turns her whole life upside down, Odder seeks refuge at a sea life hospital/aquarium in Monterey Bay. The hospital is known to the sea otters as Highwater. Odder had sheltered herself in Highwater before, but this time, she may not be leaving Highwater. Throughout the entire book, Odder flashes back to her old life when she was a tiny pup, and the readers learn more about her past. An enchanting book written in free verse by Katherine Applegate, Odder is a masterpiece among written works. Told from the point of view of a young sea otter, Odder is a simply delightful read. From diving and playing to shark encounters and ‘shaking sickness’, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat as you read page after page. About the Author: Katherine Applegate "Hello. I am Katherine. I am a writer. It’s not as easy as it looks. It is, however, the best job on the planet.” Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including, but not limited to, The One and Only Ivan and its sequels, the Endling series, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter book series, and the Animorphs series. She has also written several standalone novels such as Crenshaw, Odder, Wishtree, and Willowdeen. She lives in California with her husband, fellow children’s author Michael Grant, and their children. Sources:
By: Maya Lovria Vega, a young orca whale, has lived in the Salish Sea with her pod for her entire life. She and her pod rely heavily on salmon, their food of sustenance, but salmon are becoming increasingly hard to find with the changing seascape. As Wayfinder, it is the job of Vega’s Greatmother to lead the pod to food and to safety. This legacy is to, in turn, be passed on to Vega, but during her first attempt, she leads her pod into danger. She hears a boat, but knows that she can outswim it. She can, but that isn’t something that all the whales, including her pregnant mother and small brother, can do. Inexperienced and excited to lead her pod, she swims them into the boat’s dangerous path. Luckily, the whales find their way to safety, but Vega swims off on her own, ashamed and worried that she has lost her chance to ever lead again. The orcas are all strong and wise, and know their world better than anyone, but things are not the same as they used to be. Humans are intruding, poisoning the water, bringing dangerous nets and machines, and the whales are struggling. They’re struggling to find food, and to safely give birth. Then, tragedy strikes. A family loss, then an earthquake and a tsunami. Vega and her little brother, Deneb, are separated from their pod. If Vega wants to find her family and lead her brother to safety, she will have to be his Wayfinder and guide him back. A Whale of the Wild is an amazing, touching book. The characters are open and relatable (as much as a human can relate to an orca whale!), and the plot is very interesting. From dangerous encounters to delicious salmon snacks, this book is a must-read for animal lovers and book lovers alike. About the Author: Rosanne Parry In addition to A Whale of the Wild, Rosanne Parry is also the author of the acclaimed novels A Wolf Called Wander, A Horse Named Sky, Heart of a Shepherd, Second Fiddle, and Written in Stone. She has taught writing at schools, conferences, educational nonprofits, and online at the Loft Literary Center. She works as an independent bookseller, and lives with her family in an old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon. Sources: |