If you’re a big fan of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, you may want to know that there’s an animated adaptation of the book on BBC1 on Christmas Eve at 4:55!

The book follows the friendship between a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse as they travel along together to find the boy’s home.

The stars in this are Tom Hollander (the mole), Idris Elba (the fox), Gabriel Byrne (the horse) and Jude Coward Nicoll (the boy) and they tell this story of courage, and kindness and friendship. 

At 3:55 on BBC2,  you can see how this best seller book came to life; author Charlie Mackesy reveals everything in a documentary about his life.

I've read the book - in fact I have it by my side as I type - and I just love it!   As the author says in the introductory pages, "This book is for everyone, whether you are eighty or eight - I feel I'm both sometimes."  I know that feeling!

Author Charlie Mackesy says "I hope this book encourages you, perhaps, to live life courageously with more kindness for yourself and for others.  And to ask for help when you need it...which is a very brave thing to do."  

As it happens, I'm also reading a book called "Courage is Calling" by Ryan Holiday at the moment - I've got as far as page 45 so still have some way to go, but one of the things that the book points out is that we will have hard times in life, no doubt about it, "and bruises and scars will be your armour".  Struggles, Holiday says, become experience and make us better.   

There's a wonderful saying from the horse in Mackesy's book, who says "Asking for help isn't giving up.......It's refusing to give up."   And later, "When the dark clouds come...keep going."

"Sometimes", said the horse.
"Sometimes what?" asked the boy.
"Sometimes just getting up and arrying on is brave and magnificent."

The  The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse for me emphasis kindness, to yourself and others, fortitude - keep going - and the importance of love.   The boy, mole, fox and horse all understand that they are there for each other, and accept each other, and are kind. And wherever they are, they are home because of that love, kindness and acceptance.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: The Animated Story
is available from Foyles for £10.00

The book would make a great gift, and you can buy it from Foyles - at the time of writing, it's on a special offer and you can save 50%!