Library Blog

Karen Little, Library Assistant and English Language Learning Instructor, recommends The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy (available in English and Spanish).

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asked the mole?

“Kind,” said the boy.

This is just one of many musings from a curious cadre of friends who are on a journey questioning life and what the future holds in the graphic novel, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. The contemplative boy is one of four unlikely characters that Charlie Mackesy, author, artist, and illustrator, brings together for an adventure into “the wild.”

“Nothing beats kindness,” said the horse. “It sits quietly beyond all things.”

 The book follows the conversations between an inquisitive boy, an erudite mole, a withdrawn fox who wants to belong, as well as an insightful horse. During their amblings, the friends share hopes and fears and engage in straightforward, down-to-earth, and heartfelt exchanges, such as:

• “Asking for help isn’t giving up,” said the horse. “It’s refusing to give up.”

• “Most of the old moles I know wish they had listened less to their fears and more to their dreams.”

• “We often wait for kindness…but being kind to yourself can start now,” said the mole.

• “Is your glass half empty or half full?” asked the mole. “I think I’m grateful to have a glass,” said the boy.

• “What do you think is the biggest waste of time?” asked the boy. “Comparing yourself to others,” said the mole.

• “Nothing beats kindness,” said the horse. “It sits quietly beyond all things.”
  
• “I’m so small,” said the mole. “Yes,” said the boy, “but you make a huge difference.”

• “Do you have a favorite saying?” asked the boy.
  “Yes,” said the mole.
  “What is it?”
  “If at first you don’t succeed, have some cake.”
  “I see, does it work?”
  “Every time.”

The friends are all different, yet they connect and find common ground through acceptance, vulnerability, curiosity, respect, and kindness.

Each time I read this story, I discover another wonderment or revelation. The handwritten font and original drawings are delightful, and the script is a change from the traditional formal font found in most books. It is a refreshing read, particularly in the unsettling and fractured times we live.

This is a book for all ages and there is something for everyone, especially when one ventures into “the wild” and explores beliefs, thoughts and values that unite us: Friendship. Acknowledgment. Cooperation. Patience. Inclusion. Empathy. Gratitude. And Kindness. 

The friends are all different, yet they connect and find common ground through acceptance, vulnerability, curiosity, respect, and kindness.

We’ve seen many acts of kindness in the past few weeks, as our community has come together in extraordinary ways to offer relief to those who suffered from the fire at the Limelight Condos. A couple dozen individuals lost their homes and possessions, and people in our valley have provided places to stay, money, food, physical help, and material necessities. The Gold Mine Thrift Store continues to offer free shopping for victims of the fire to help restore some of what was lost in the tragedy.

Our world can always experience a little more kindness. 

Find it in Graphic Novel Fic MAC; Available in English and Spanish.

Kelly Noble, Gold Mine Processing Manager, recommends Assassin’s Strike by Ward Larsen.

I enjoy reading espionage thrillers, especially those that are written well and contain plausible plots. Ward Larsen is among the best writers in the genre. His David Slaton novels are exciting, adventurous, action packed and riveting. When reading thrillers of this type, I always examine the story for its authenticity. Are the countries real? Does the author understand the current geo-political climate of the area? Is the plot even possible? There is nothing worse than a poorly researched thriller. 

In Assassin’s Strike, our hero is David Slaton, a former Israeli Mossad member now working for the CIA. Trained to enter the world’s most dangerous places, Slaton is always at the top of his game. In this novel he is asked to help a Russian linguist escape war-torn Syria. Ludmilla Kravchuk is an interpreter for the Russian president. All seems to go well until a session between the Russia President and the President of Iran. Ludmilla’s counterpart, a young Iranian woman, is killed before her eyes. Ludmilla escapes into the city where she finds help from old friends.  

These espionage thrillers contain a wealth of information about the world in which we live and travel.

As the novel unfolds, Slaton contacts Ludmilla and sets up a plan to help her escape to the West. Of course, no mission goes as planned. In the process of leaving the city of Damacus, Ludmilla brings along a friend and her young son. Instead of one person to save, Slaton has three. At the same time as this adventure is underway, a second plot unfolds in the story. Terrorists have received a chemical weapon and plan to use it to destabilize the Middle East. As soon as Slaton finishes the first part of the mission, he is off to help stop a global war. 

Assassin’s Strike is highly recommended. I find most readers of this genre deeply knowledgeable about current world events. These novels depend heavily on knowledge of geography, politics, and current events. There is so much a reader can learn from fiction. These espionage thrillers contain a wealth of information about the world in which we live and travel. These novels are not science fiction. They represent potentially deadly problems for the world. Like Gerald Seymour once said, “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.”  For all its worth, Ward Larsen has done an excellent job crafting an exhilarating novel.  

Find it in Adult Fiction here.