Video review — tap to play
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Ethics & Morality, Philosophy Politics & Social Sciences
What does it really mean to live a good life? In *The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse*, Charlie Mackesy brings together four unlikely friends whose conversations explore kindness, courage, love, friendship, and finding hope during uncertain times. Told through gentle handwritten words and expressive illustrations, the book offers simple yet profound reflections on the challenges we all face and the comfort we can find in one another. Warm, thoughtful, and beautifully illustrated, it is a tender reminder that sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can mean the most.
- Release Date
- 2019
- Length
- 128 pages
- Publisher
- Ebury Press
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Our Review
About the book
Illustrator Charlie Mackesy’s illustrated book follows a curious boy and three animal companions as they wander through a gentle landscape, talking about kindness, fear, friendship and asking for help. Hand-drawn ink and watercolor illustrations accompany short, aphoristic conversations.
Our review
A beautiful ink-and-watercolor book of small kindnesses, best read slowly and returned to on hard days.
Mackesy’s drawings are the star: loose, expressive ink lines and soft washes that make every page feel handmade. The text is spare, a few lines of conversation per spread, and the four characters each represent a different way of facing the world, from the cake-loving mole to the wary fox. Readers dipping in on a difficult day will find gentle reassurance about vulnerability and the value of asking for help, delivered without preaching.
Whether that lands as wisdom or as greeting-card sentiment will depend on the reader. There is no real plot, and some aphorisms feel slight when read in one go. The handwritten text can also be hard to read in places. But as a gift, a bedside book or a quiet companion for anyone of any age going through something difficult, it has a rare, consoling warmth.
What we loved
- Gorgeous, expressive hand-drawn illustrations
- Gentle messages about kindness and vulnerability
- Accessible to readers of all ages
Keep in mind
- No plot; reads as a collection of aphorisms
- Some lines can feel sentimental or slight
Read it if you like
fans of The Little Prince, readers of Winnie-the-Pooh, anyone looking for a comforting gift
The verdict
A lovely, consoling book that rewards slow reading more than a single sitting.
