Hatred gets much airtime but love is everywhere: Bestselling author-illustrator Charlie Mackesy

New Delhi, Nov 22 (PTI) His bestselling book "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" championed human kindness, celebrated the power of compassion, and shared a message of friendship and love. Now, artist-author Charlie Mackesy, who has come out with its sequel "Always Remember", says he truly believes that “hatred and darkness get so much airtime... but love is everywhere".

Reuniting the familiar quartet of friends -- this time journeying through untamed landscapes as they navigate love, loss, storms, and the courage to carry on -- Mackesy offers another artful work filled with deep wisdom.

But Mackesy has long been cautious about predicting what readers might take from his books, admitting that his own understanding -- especially of love -- is no deeper than anyone else’s.

“Generally people are a lot wiser than me, and they see things that I don’t... I think hatred and darkness get so much airtime in the press, but love is everywhere and it’s vast and hopeful and it runs through us all the time.

"I actually think it’s the small things -- the smile on a tube train, making someone a cup of tea, a text to a friend, squeezing someone’s shoulder when they’re struggling and being there for each other -- it doesn’t make the news, but it’s everywhere," he said in a statement.

Talking about the title of the recently released new book, the 62-year-old illustrator and author said the phrase "Always Remember" quite literally came to him in the middle of the night -- a line that, to him, captured what the boy must hold onto to make it through the storm.

“I woke up at 3 am with the words of the title. It’s how a loving friend or parent might begin a sentence -- ‘always remember this'. Sometimes we need to remember things to help us get through the day. I also feel that the words 'Always Remember' could apply to so many pages in the book," he explained.

And there were quite a few things the boy is reminded of by his friends -- the horse, the fox, and the mole -- as they face the storm together: to love oneself, to recognise that gentleness is a profound strength, that every step forward is a victory, that dark clouds eventually pass, and that the blue sky never truly leaves.

Describing the sequel as a “rite of passage” in which he, too, becomes stronger and more courageous, Mackesy said he felt an unusual sense of heightened awareness while creating the book.

“Making this book was really hard; life was painful, difficult and messy. I lost my mum, my dog and friends in the process. Life isn’t easy for any of us, but in some ways it was a good place to put my questions and share how I felt, to see and feel the continued journey of the characters,” he shared.

Mackesy's "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" was the first ever book to be awarded both the 'Waterstones Book of the Year' and 'Barnes and Noble Book of the Year'.

"Always Remember", published by Penguin, is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores. PTI MG RB RB