The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
By Charlie Mackesy
Hi everyone,
This has been an exhausting week for many different reasons. So I thought we needed something beautiful, uplifting, and light. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a wonderfully illustrated book that will make you smile and hopefully will also warm your heart.
Andrea, this is for you.
Love,
mariana
Why did I read this book?
I discovered The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy when the pandemic started. I was buying books online and during the checkout process, Waterstones recommended this book as the Waterstones Book of the Year 2019. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I liked the cover and bought it.
What is the book about?
Beautifully illustrated life advice: Charlie Mackesy started posting his amazing watercolour and ink drawings on his Instagram account and people loved them. Shortly after, an editor reached out to him to explore if there was potential for a book. A few months later, a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse were sharing valuable life lessons through Charlie’s drawings. In an interview with The Guardian he explains that “All four characters represent different parts of the same person, the inquisitive boy, the mole who’s enthusiastic but a bit greedy, the fox who’s been hurt so is withdrawn from life, slow to trust but wants to be part of things, and the horse who’s the wisest bit, the deepest part of you, the soul.”
Courage in difficult times: Sometimes life’s hardest questions have the simplest answers. The dialogue in these pages takes us from one great piece of advice to the next, leaving us with hope and clarity.
Why should you read it?
To feel good and less afraid: The combination of beautiful images and words leaves the reader with a feeling of connectedness while turning the pages. Without being too obvious nor complicated, the characters in the book make us understand our shared humanity, and that pretty much most of us are afraid and excited about the same things.
If you’re looking for words of comfort for you or others: Sometimes in life, we’re rendered speechless. Difficult and sad things happen, and it’s hard to find the right words of sympathy and encouragement for those we love. If you’re looking for a way to give comfort to others, I think this book is a wonderful gift.
Links to buy the book
Always try to support your local bookshop. Thanks to those who have sent me suggestions for this list.
UK
Spain
Llibreria Jaimes (Spanish version)
Todostuslibros.com (Spanish version)
Mexico
Italy
US
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Favourite quotes
Almost every page on this wonderful book is a magnificent quote, so I’m not going to spoil it for you :)
