15 July 2026

‘What’s your best discovery?’ asked the mole.

‘That I’m enough as I am.’ said the boy.

‘I’ve realized why we are here.’ whispered the boy.

‘For cake?’ asked the mole.

‘To love,’ said the boy.

‘And be loved,’ said the horse.

This is an extract from an extraordinary story book entitled, ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’. It was written by Charlie Mackesy. The dialogue is handwritten and the illustration is a mixture of water-colour and ink. The characters in the book are on a journey to reach home.

‘What do we do when our hearts hurt?’ asked the boy.

‘We wrap them with friendship, shared tears and time, till they wake hopeful  and happy again.’

‘Do you have any other advice?’ asked the boy.

‘Don’t measure how valuable you are by the way you are treated.’ said the horse.

‘Always remember you matter, you’re important and you are loved, and you bring to this world things no one else can.’