Some days you just need a small book. One that takes only a few minutes to read, but that stays with you once you’ve read it. It might even make you want to pick it up and read it again.

A friend of mine gifted me this book a while ago. I read it then, then put it aside.

Today it found me again. I picked it up and read it again…and then again.

There aren’t many words, but the words there feel significant and the spare inky drawings seem just right.

Here’s a favorite page of mine:

“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.”

Some days you just need to have some cake. And maybe read this book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, who says in the introduction, “This book is for everyone, whether you are 80 or 8–I feel like I’m both sometimes.”

If you need a lift…try this book, there are many more gems inside. Maybe I’ll read it to my class this week.