Charlie Mackesy
Born and bred in rural Northumberland, Charlie Mackesy spent much of his childhood with dogs, sheep, horses, and rabbits. In the evenings, he would sit on the hillside or walk for miles, watching badgers or foxes. He started to draw moles, because he found them comical, then horses, and finally foxes in various guises - because as a boy he had been terrified of foxes, and he felt that a fox was a creature that was withdrawn, fearful of trusting, and echoed some of his own feelings. Charlie’s book featuring ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ has captured people’s hearts and become a best seller, while his words and charming illustrations - which explore fear, loneliness, and vulnerability - have brought comfort to people the world over.