Still Learning: My Favorite Book of the Year

Still Learning

Each year, Barnes & Noble asks its 20,000 booksellers to select their favorite new book.

This year, the winner was The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy. It's my favorite book of the year, too.

For a parent or grandparent, it's a terrific book for kids.
For an adult without kids or whose children are grown up, I recommend buying it, reading it in 20-30 minutes, and then giving it to a relative or friend that has kids.

You'll want the hardcover version because of the drawings on each page.

I pulled more quotes from this book than anything else I've read this year. I'm amazed the author was able to pack so much substance into a book that averages one sentence per page and is understandable to all ages.

Below are the quotes that most resonated with me because I rarely see them in literature:
"Doing nothing with friends is never doing nothing, is it?" asked the boy
"No," said the mole

"Asking for help isn't giving up," said the horse. "It's refusing to give up."

"Sometimes I worry you'll all realize I'm ordinary," said the boy
"Love doesn't need you to be extraordinary," said the mole

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

"The greatest illusion," said the mole, "is that life should be perfect."

"So you know all about me?" asked the boy
"Yes," said the horse
"And you still love me?"
"We love you all the more"

"Sometimes I think you believe in me more than I do," said the boy
"You'll catch up," said the horse

"The fox never really speaks," whispered the boy
"No. And it's lovely he is with us," said the horse

"To be honest, I often feel I have nothing interesting to say," said the fox
"Being honest is always interesting," said the horse

"Sometimes I want to say I love you all," said the mole, "but I find it difficult."
"Do you?" said the boy
"Yes, so I say something like I'm glad we are all here."
"Ok," said the boy
"I'm glad we are all here."
"We are so glad you are here too."

"Do you have any other advice?" asked the boy
"Don't measure how valuable you are by the way you are treated," said the horse

"Always remember you matter, you're important and you are loved, and you bring to this world things no one else can."