“Always remember you matter, you’re important and you are loved, and you bring to this world things no one else can.” — Charlie Mackesy, author, the Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

It’s graduation season, and it can be hard to find a gift that feels right. No matter who the gift is for – a neighbor you’ve watched grow up, a co-workers son, or even your own child –you want the right mix of practical and sentimental.

A graduation gift that shows you care and put some thought into it.

We believe the best gifts are the ones that come from the heart, but also addresses what the recipient’s wants and needs.

Why a book can be a great graduation gift

While money is an entirely practical gift to give a young adult venturing out into the world, it can feel a little cold just to give cold, hard cash. However, a graduation present of money AND a thoughtful gift feels perfect.

A meaningful book with some money inside can be the right combination of personalization and practicality that any graduate would love. (Pro tip: one of our friends suggested paper clipping cash to certain pages of a book that were meaningful to you. We love that idea!)

Related: Graduation Gifts: 20 Of The Best Ever Books To Give High School Graduates

Why we think The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is the perfect graduation book

The book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is one of our all-time favorite books to gift.

Written in 2019 by the talented British illustrator, artist, and author Charlie Mackesy, the book was an instant success and has been a #1 New York Times bestseller. The book has been translated into over 45 languages and has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

When a teen or young adult reaches a milestone such as graduation it can be tempting to offer them all sorts of advice, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your own child growing up. While the desire to share wisdom is well-intentioned, it may fall on deaf ears.

 The Boy The Mole The Fox and The Horse

This book offers up all sorts of life lessons!

The story follows a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox, and a wise horse who find themselves together in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship, and love.

The shared adventures and meaningful conversations between the four friends are full of life lessons that connect with readers of all ages. While not a true narrative, the book is great for inspiration, meditation, or celebration.

It has a gentleness that is comforting in uncertain times and is easy to read. You can pick the book up and on any page find some sage advice and encouragement.

The author is also an artist, and the book contains 100 charming illustrations.It is sure to provide some inspiration and encouragement as graduates embark on new adventures.

5 of Our Favorite Quotes from The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

1. “I’m enough as I am.” — Boy

2. “Love doesn’t need you to be extraordinary.” — Mole

3. “Sometimes I think you believe in me more than I do.” — Boy

4. “Doing nothing with friends is never doing nothing, is it?” — Boy

5. “What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said? asked the boy. ‘Help,’ said the horse. ‘Asking for help isn’t giving up,’ said the horse. ‘It’s refusing to give up.

Books Make Great Gifts

Books, in general, make for great gifts for high school or college graduates. They are a nice way to pass along some advice or encouragement without bombarding the grad. They can refer back to a book or pick it up when they need a little boost.

The book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse tops our list of heartfelt giftable books because it offers timeless wisdom. It is also available as an audiobook, and as an animated story, so there’s a format for everyone.

Looking for a few more favorites to gift the graduate in your life? We’ve included a few below or you can check out our posts:

Graduation Gifts: 20 Of The Best Ever Books To Give College Graduates
Graduation Gifts: 20 Of The Best Ever Books To Give High School Graduates

 The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run into in College Carpe Every Diem: The Best Graduation Advice from More Than 100 Commencement Speeches : A Graduation Book Seuss-Isms Wise And Witty Prescriptions For Living From The Good Doctor (Random Reflections) Seuss-Isms The Make your bed Collection The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier Assume the Worst Congratulations, by the way: Some Thoughts on Kindness Hardcover April 22, 2014

Do you have a high school graduate and feeling a little uneasy about it? We’ve put together a five-day email series with some of our favorite articles from parents and experts, and we’re also including ways to celebrate your graduates—everything from party ideas and gifts to announcements and quotes! Join here!

Are you in the thick of raising your tweens and teens? You may like this book by Whitney Fleming, the co-owner of Parenting Teens & Tweens: Loving Hard When They’re Hard to Love: Essays about Raising Teens in Today’s Complex, Chaotic World.

Parenting teens and tweens is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here are some other posts that may be helpful:

75 Inspiring High School Graduation Quotes To Celebrate Your Graduate

More Than 15 Fun And Unique High School Graduation Party Ideas

Five Simple Ideas for Summer Growth Activities for Teens and Tweens

Don’t Let Fear of an Empty Nest Ruin the Beautiful Moments You Have Now

*This post may contain affiliate links where we earn a small commission for products purchased from our website.