【開箱．圖文書】Charlie Mackesy｜男孩、鼴鼠、狐狸與馬

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TitleBoy, Mole, Fox and Horse
Original Title:The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse
AuthorCharlie Mackesy
TranslatorHan Jieguang
PublisherCommonWealth Magazine
Publication Date: 2022-01-26
Language：Traditional Chinese
ISBN10: 986398728X
ISBN13: 9789863987284
BindingHardcover / 128 pages / 17.3 x 22.1 x 1.79 cm / General Audience / Full Color Printing / First Edition
Price699 yuan (Books.com.tw 博客來)

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20231215

"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse" is a heartwarming hand-drawn picture book that everyone should read. The book's design and layout are exquisitely cute, and the content is easy to understand! 💕

I knew about "The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse" even before the Chinese version was released. It was later adapted into an animated film of the same name, which won the 95th Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2023, and a series of books were published.Boy, Mole, Fox and Horse: Animated StorybookThis version has more plot than the original work and also has a different illustration style. You can collect them together!

Interestingly, the picture book doesn't feature a strong plot; instead, it's woven together by fragmented dialogues between four characters: a boy, a mole, a fox, and a horse. The accompanying hand-drawn illustrations sincerely convey the meaning of the text, creating a vast and evocative effect beyond simple lines. 🐴

The characters' dialogues are thought-provoking; the different characters are like people with different personalities, or different facets of our inner selves, helping us discover aspects of ourselves we never knew before. Perhaps it's because of the innocent questions and answers between the boy and the animals that I didn't find the book's "golden quotes" overly sentimental.

For me, the core message of this book revolves around "love, courage, and vulnerability." It's a heartwarming and delightful book that I can read at any time. I might relive different feelings as I read it at different stages of my life.

There are plenty of blank spaces in the book, so you can write down or draw your own insights at any time! Or even add another animal to this journey.

Here are some excerpts from conversations that left a deep impression on me:

"The greatest freedom we have is the freedom to choose how to respond to what happens," the mole said.

"I sometimes worry that one day you'll find me to be very ordinary," the boy said.
"Love doesn't require you to be different."The mole said.

"Do you think the glass is half empty or half full?" the mole asked.
"I'm very grateful to have a cup," the boy said.

Official Introduction

This little picture book tells the story of the most important thing in life...

The only thing separating us from our dreams may be a single act of courage.
"All the old moles I know say they wish they had listened to their dreams more and listened to their fears less."

Being a kind person also includes being kind to yourself and forgiving yourself.
"We are always waiting for kindness from others... but you can start being kind to yourself right now."

Asking for help is not giving up, but rather bravely persisting without giving up.
"What's the bravest thing you've ever said?" "Help me."

We can't control many things in the world, but we can spend more time with the people we care about.
"Everyone is a little scared, but when we're together, we're not so scared."

When loneliness, frustration, and sadness overwhelm you, when you feel like you're about to be defeated, please don't forget—
Life is not easy, but you are loved.

British artist Charlie Max, with his unique style and warm, insightful dialogue, has amassed millions of followers on Instagram and sparked a sharing craze among Hollywood celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, Chris Hemsworth, and billionaire podcaster Timothy Ferris. He transforms his insights into four characters: a boy, a mole, a fox, and a horse. These four characters embark on an unknown journey. Some are silent due to injury, while others hide their talents for fear of exclusion. But they learn to be open with each other's vulnerabilities and accept themselves. Along the way, they discover that the wilderness is both terrifying and incredibly beautiful. Finally, they understand the preciousness of friendship, find belonging, and return home.

Understanding love! From eight to eighty years old, warmly healing every heart.

Max received countless thanks and feedback from readers. Some read it with friends in hospice wards, accompanying them through their final moments; some found hope in the book; mothers saw their children with dyslexia drawn to the illustrations, then read the words aloud with shining eyes; therapists framed the illustrations and text to hang in their counseling rooms; even the British military used the text to encourage their teams. This is a book for everyone, resonating uniquely with each person's life experiences. The author's youngest reader was only three years old, while his mother, nearly ninety, shared the warmth she found in the book. Our stories may all be different, but we all need love and are capable of loving. This book is like a quiet hug, offering silent comfort when you need it most.

Hopefully, this book will encourage you to live freely, treat yourself better, and ask for help when needed—this is always the bravest thing to do.

About the Author

Charlie Mackesy

Charlie Mackesy was born on a snowy winter day in Northumberland, England. He is a cartoonist for The Spectator and an illustrator for Oxford University Press. He has worked with director Richard Curtis on the Comedy Relief charity and participated in Nelson Mandela's Unity Series art project. He has lived and worked in South Africa, Southern Africa, and New Orleans, and co-founded Mama Buci, a social enterprise in Zambia that helps low- or no-income families with beekeeping jobs. He resides in London but frequently visits Suffolk.