The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse

Author - Charlie Mackesy

In every book one picks up to read, one expects to have a message that one can imbibe in their life to improve. There is seldom a simple book that has many profound messages for the reader. ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse’ by Charlie Mackesy is one such book. It is a graphic novel (text and pictures work together to tell a story) that might seem like a children’s book but take my word that is not the case, it is for people of all ages. Loaded with wisdom it can very well be called a book of philosophy or a self-help book on life lessons. According to the writer book is a “Small graphic novel of images and conversations over a landscape.”

The book follows the journey of four unusual friends (the titular characters) who meet during the journey and it is about their friendship, acceptance, and conversation. Conversation between friends is heartwarming, filled with nuggets of wisdom and about life's meaning. Every page has important takeaways. To some extent, all four characters represent different parts of the same person. The story is simple, warm, happy, and engaging. Lessons from the book are even more relevant in these testing times of the pandemic.

Illustrations in the book are poignantly beautiful and have caught the fancy of people. The way this book has touched the life of many makes it very special. Overall it is a delightful book. It is a book of hope in these uncertain times.

BookVibe: 4/5