The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse: A review.

If there is one book you read this year, let it be this.

The boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse by Charlie Mackesy tells the beautiful story of the adventure they take together. The heartwarming story is for everyone, "whether you are eighty or eight''. The picking up the book you can immediately understand its value and worth. The beautifully illustrated cover is the first of lots of creative and abstract art pieces that you can spend hours looking over. One of my favorite pieces of art in the book is the first and last page where they have placed sheet music and painted the characters of the book dancing around the score. The book almost acts as a 'perfect imperfection'. On one of the pages the author writes in pencil 'my dog walked over the drawing', and this adds the realism of life and how it isn't always perfect and how you want it to be. This is one of many powerful messages that Mackesy tells us.

Mackesy's handwriting in the book gives it a really creative and personal feel to it, almost as if he wrote the book for us personally. Usually 'keep going' kind of quotes can come across in a cliché and cringy way however by telling an emotive story with the quotes, it allows us to take them in and appreciate their messages and meaning. The way this book displays its quotes comes across as completely natural and easy without trying too hard to force them in. These quotes embellish the story rather than lessen it. I think the artwork really helps to convey his inspirational and motivational messages without coming across as a mother's motivational Facebook page.

The book makes you feel a range of emotions and I certainly think there is at least one message that everyone needs to hear from this book, even if you don't think so. What's really unique about his book is that it has no set order or way to read it. Strictly speaking, you can start wherever you want. I enjoy opening up a random page and seeing the quote that will come to me that day. The book allows you to open your eyes to a more positive outlook on the world and see how much good is out in the world. In times like this, this is especially important. The book allows people to be whoever they want to be, and I think that is wonderful.

It is so hard to pick a favourite page as all of them are just amazing but one that stands out to me is this. "Always remember you matter, you're important and you are loved, and you bring this world things no one else can". Below is another one of my favourites.

I think everyone can learn something from this book and I couldn't recommend it enough. The book teaches you how to accept people and yourself and how to do good in the world. I think now more than ever as we find ourselves distanced from society in lockdown, this book is a must-read.

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9th February 2021

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