Illustrations by British artist Charlie Mackesy, commissioned before he received acclaim for his best-selling 2019 book, are to feature in a debut author’s collection of woodland stories.

Charlie’s book centres on a boy and three animals: a mole (upbeat), a fox (cautious) and a horse (wise). Charlie says the animals came to him throughout his life, beginning when he was a boy.

Cartoonist Charlie Mackesy dedicated his drawings to the people on the front line battling against Covid-19. His messages of hope can be seen around the UK – from hospitals to schools and t-shirts.