Anja Reviews “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy

By: Anja Racke

“The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse” by Charlie Mackesy is a charming picture book that is impossible not to love. If you thought picture books could only be enjoyed by kids, this one will change your mind. If you’re not swept up in this book’s gorgeous illustrations and incredible hand lettering, the sweet, wholesome messages written throughout the book are sure to get you.

“The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse” follows four friends as they share life lessons—and sometimes cake—with one another. Mackesy takes such large and complex ideas and simplifies them into dialogue that small children can understand and experienced adults will appreciate. Each page also includes a traditionally made illustration in a gestural style that compliments the economy of the text perfectly. It’s the kind of book that you can fly through, but you may want to slow down and savor every moment, or come back and reread it again and again. Chris Evans probably put it best when he said, “You will not be able to buy a more beautiful book for Christmas for somebody you love.”