My oldest grandson gave me this book to read last week and he made sure to put it at the top of my stack of books to read. He was very insistent that I read it as soon as possible. Thank you Finn! You know what I like! It is an amazing book and much appreciated on a day when I’m feeling tired and a little down.
I was able to read this book in about 15 minutes and every word held so much meaning.
The author, Charlie Mackesy, lives in London and is not only an author, but an illustrator. He illustrated this book with beautiful pen and ink, along with watercolor. The pictures are amazing! But his words are even more amazing! Such an encouragement in 10-15 minutes of reading. I was a little slower because I was studying the pictures.
Charlie Mackesy was originally an atheist, but now a well-known evangelist. According to AI this book “explores universal themes of kindness and mental health rather than preaching religion….”
Copyrighted in 2019 the book quickly became a favorite to many. A lonely boy meets a mole and they travel along. Together they meet a fox who is caught in a snare. The fox told the mole he would kill him if he wasn’t in the snare. The mole responded that he would die if he stayed in the snare and then proceeded to chew through the wire holding the fox. The boy, the mole, and the fox traveled along until they met the horse. (And no one was eaten! 😉)
Due to copyright laws, I can only quote a few things from the book. I picked my favorite quotes that show what a wonderful, encouraging book it will be for you.
- The boy asked the mole—“What do you think is the biggest waste of time?” “Comparing yourself to others,” said the mole.
- A quote from the mole—“I’ve learned to be in the present.” “How?” asked the boy. “I find a quiet spot and shut my eyes and breathe.”
- I believe this is a quote from the mole (Or maybe from the boy. I wasn’t sure. It doesn’t really matter. It’s a great quote.)—“Isn’t it odd. We can only see our outsides, but nearly everything happens on the inside.”
- Last amazing quote! “Asking for help isn’t giving up.” said the horse. “It’s refusing to give up!”
There are so many more quotes from the boy, and all the animals, with so much rich ideas to think upon.
The book is all about love and forgiveness. I will finish with this one last quote. “Often the hardest person to forgive is yourself.”
The author recommends this book for ages eighty to eight. There are many more quotes and thoughts expressed that really get you to thinking, and it was the perfect pick-me-up for today.
I hope you will get the book to encourage yourself with life. It is listed on Amazon in Hardcover with prices ranging from $17.60 down to $12.98 so shop around for you best price. You can get a “like new” copy from Thrift Books for $9.99.
Happy reading!
And have a great week!