'The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse' by Charlie Mackesy

 

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (2019) is a stunningly illustrated book, ideal for children or adults. It is a simple story about a young boy and three animals friends who teach each other about the beauty of kindness and empathy. They know they are lost, which is scary - but with each other, it is okay. 

Guaranteed to pull on anyone's heart strings, this book is full of gentle reminders that we all need from time to time. It embraces those who are different and shows us that our initial judgements of someone are not always accurate. The use of colour and imperfection in the drawings make this raw, natural and honest. I especially loved the page with Mackesy's dog's pawprint across it. One might think of that as a failure and throw the page away, but this is an honest and authentic book, hence it is kept in. 

I watched the animated adaptation of this book on TV this Christmas. It managed to capture the essence of the story beautifully and brought a tear to my eye. 

'One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things.'

'Listen less to the fears and more to the dreams.'