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“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is not only a thought-provoking, discussion-worthy story, the book itself is an object of art.”- Elizabeth Egan, The New York Times
From British illustrator, artist, and author Charlie Mackesy comes a journey for all ages that explores life’s universal lessons, featuring 100 color and black-and-white drawings.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asked the mole.
“Kind,” said the boy.
Charlie Mackesy offers inspiration and hope in uncertain times in this beautiful book, following the tale of a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox and a wise horse who find themselves together in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship and love. The shared adventures and important conversations between the four friends are full of life lessons that have connected with readers of all ages.
Charlie Mackesy began sharing conversations between the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse on his social media channels in early 2018. He published The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse in late 2019 and the book has since brought comfort and joy to over seven million readers worldwide.
After two years of collaborative work, in 2022, the short film adaptation of the book will be released alongside The Book of the Film.
Charlie collaborates with a number of charities, including Comic Relief—he created the iconic “Love Wins” t-shirt—as well as the NHS, Choose Love, WWF and The Samaritans. During the pandemic he donated prints, books, drew on hospital walls, and posted messages of support to NHS workers, which he continues.
Charlie began his career as a cartoonist for The Spectator and a book illustrator for Oxford University Press. He spent time in America as a portrait painter and ran art therapy workshops for Alzheimer's sufferers and Holocaust survivors. He lived and painted in South Africa, and collaborated with Nelson Mandela on a lithograph project, "The Unity Series." And worked with Richard Curtis on the set of Love Actually to create a set of drawings to be auctioned for Comic Relief. Away from art, Charlie co-runs a social enterprise, Mama Buci in Zambia. His work features in books, private collections and public spaces, including Highgate Cemetery in London, in hospitals, prisons, churches, and university colleges around the UK, and in women's safe houses around the world.
He lives in Suffolk with his dog Barney.
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is not only a thought-provoking, discussion-worthy story, the book itself is an object of art.”
— New York Times
“The world that I long to inhabit is the one that Charlie Mackesy has created – a world of infinite kindness, wisdom, mutual care and tenderness, and true love between real friends. My prayer/hope is that our world will become more like this one.” — Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic
"I felt this book down to my core." — Hoda Kotb
"Love, friendship, and kindness--this book speaks a universal language." — Bear Grylls
"A wonderful work of art and a wonderful window into the human heart" — Richard Curtis
"Simply, the world need's Charlie's work right now." — Miranda Hart
“A sweet tale rendered in swirly black calligraphy and watercolor. Childlike in its simplicity, its messages are universal. . . . Mackesy has brought people together.” — The Washington Post
“A lonely boy ambles through the countryside on a spring day, finding companionship: first meeting the mole, then the other animals of the title. As they walk, the new friends talk, wonder, share their hopes and fears and pose some big questions. . . . A big hit.” — The Philadelphia Inquirer
“A delightful treat of a book. . . . If there were classes on how to be a good person, this book would be the textbook.” — Horse Nation
