Book Review: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (Barnes & Noble Book of the Year, 2019)

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, by Charlie Mackesy (HarperOne, 2019, $22.99, 128 pp) #1 New York Times Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller

Small Things Can Make A Huge Difference

At first glance, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse is a lovely little book with pen-and-ink or charcoal illustrations - and lots of them! Almost more drawings than words - some drawings are more complete than others and some are in color - water color drawings by an artist. With music.

"This book is for everyone, whether you are eighty or eight - I feel like I'm both sometimes."

It almost looks like an original book penned just for you. But it is more than just a lovely little book: it was selected by Barnes & Noble to be the Book of the Year for 2019!

I think we all saw this little book in bookstores around the end of the year 2019 and noticed it was BN's selection of the year. I certainly did but did not buy it for it was too expensive for such a little book. I mean, how good could it be? 

Well, it turns out it is so good there is a waiting list for The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse at my county library. When it was finally my turn and I finally read it, I teared up. It is indeed a lovely little book. After I return my copy to the library, I am going to purchase my own copy to have and to hold: that has very rarely happened - that I checked out a book and ended up buying it.

"The truth is, everyone is winging it."

The Boy is such a heart-warmer that I want to keep a copy by my bedside. I will read it when I am sad and lonely and I will read it when I have time to spare and I will read it to my youngsters and their young ones and I will read it to my dog. Over and over. Words to live by. Words to live better by!

A boy meets a mole and they go on a walk in the countryside together. 

"'What do you want to be when you grow up?' 'Kind,' said the boy."

The mole's idea of heaven is cake or the idea of cake but he and the boy ask each other questions about the meaning of life - and answer them. They meet a fox. The mole saves his life and the favor is subsequently returned. The fox is more often than not, silent. And then they meet a horse. 

All four are unique and worthy of our attention - because they exist.

What more could one ask for in this life? 

(The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse is dedicated to the author's dog, Dill. . . . )