Charlie Mackesy

In 2020, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse went on a journey from the bestseller charts into the nation’s hearts. The book, which features a curious boy, an excitable mole, a wary fox and, of course, a wise horse, was written and illustrated by Charlie Mackesy. Issued in October 2019, it was already a hit and Waterstones Book of the Year; then Covid-19 arrived, and the four friends stepped up, as did their creator.

In a year of loneliness, isolation and fear, Mackesy has been a friend to many. He worked tirelessly supporting bookshops, charities, schools and key workers, bringing comfort when we have needed it the most. Mackesy has an unbelievably positive effect on the health of the book world, and on our collective mental health: in regular Instagram posts, his illustrations thanked and celebrated our key workers: from bus drivers to teachers to nurses. He regularly left signed copies of his book and prints in bus stops and phone booths, filled with encouraging messages to give strangers a boost.

With echoes of A A Milne, E H Shepard and Michael Bond, the book, like the best texts, defies characterisation as an illustrated work of fiction that appeals to adults and children alike. On his Instagram, Mackesy describes himself as a “grubby artist”. In 2020, he became the people’s artist.