Reading children’s books: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Recently, I have been turning to children's literature a lot. I just finished reading the book called the Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by British artist Charlie Makesy. I love children’s books for how accessibly they present difficult but universal truths.
The book is beautifully illustrated and hand-lettered. The author emphasizes from the start that this book is for all, regardless of age. We accompany the title characters on spring days where, as in life, snow is falling at times and the sun is shining at others. On his adventure, the lonely boy is first joined by the mole. The mole then rescues the fox from a snare, and the three are finally joined by the big but gentle horse. It talks about important things like love, kindness, fear, and friendship in this direct and sometimes funny way that is so characteristic of the genre. How we should unlearn certain behaviors, like comparing ourselves to others and living in fear, and adopt more childlike attitudes of living more in the present and being curious about the world around us. Being kind and forgiving to yourself first is also crucial and asking for help is sometimes the bravest thing we can do. Instead of striving for perfection in our lives, let’s focus on all the love we have, especially in challenging times that will inevitably pass.
I finished the book in one morning sitting. It was a short story and I desperately wished it could go on forever… This book creates a world from which you don’t want to step out. But it is also full of hope – our commitment should be to make the world we live in look at least a little like the one depicted in the book. And I promised myself today to carry the impact of this book throughout the day. In the adult world, it didn’t last long: when I snapped at my husband again, felt like not being enough when submitting another job application, or spent too much time wondering about the summer plans, instead of living here and now. At the very least, this post serves as a reminder to try harder, and I plan to return to the book frequently, nurturing my inner child.
Here are some of my favorite passages:
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” “Kind,” said the boy.
“If at first you don’t succeed, have some cake.” “I see, does it work?” “Every time.”
“What do you think is the biggest waste of time?” “Comparing yourself to others,” said the mole.
"I wonder if there is a school of unlearning."
“Most of the old moles I know wish they had listened less to their fears and more to their dreams.
“One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things.”
“When have you been at your strongest?” asked the boy. “When I have dared to show my weakness.”
“Asking for help isn’t giving up,” said the horse. “It’s refusing to give up.”
“Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent.”
“To be honest, I often feel I have nothing interesting to say,” said the fox. “Being honest is always interesting,” said the horse.
“What’s your best discovery?” asked the mole. “That I am 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.
“Sometimes all you hear about is the hate, but there is more love in this world than you could possibly imagine."
