The Mole and the Mound: and the House Underground

By Author / Illustrator

Will Hamilton-Davies, Kasia Fryza

Genre

Family & Home

Age range(s)

Publisher

Post Wave Publishing

ISBN

9781836271215

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

07-05-2026

Synopsis

A brilliantly funny story about empathy, kindness and the importance of not judging a book by its cover... or, in this case, a mole by his mound!

Mole is on a mission to build an extraordinary shelter for him and his friends. But Bird, Beaver and Bee don't see what the fuss is about - who would want to spend time in a muddy, mouldy mound when they could be enjoying Bird's impressive nest, Beaver's incredible lodge or Bee's intricate hive?

One by one, they rush to build their own, far superior, homes, failing to notice a storm that is on its way. When it finally arrives, Bird, Beaver and Bee's houses are destroyed, and they are forced to seek shelter inside Mole's mound. It becomes clear that this seemingly ordinary mound is much more extraordinary on the inside.

Discover a meaningful story of resilience from debut author Will Hamilton-Davies, brilliantly illustrated by Kasia Fryza with her adorable, dynamic style.

Reviews

Sue

Whilst Mole is busy digging a home underground, Bee, Beaver and Bird are all keen to show off what they believe are their superior residences. However, when a storm hits, their houses are destroyed and they are forced to seek shelter with Mole. To their surprise, the ordinary mound leads to an extraordinary home below the ground where Mole makes them welcome.

The Mole and the Mound: and the House Underground is an absolute delight! Perfect for sharing, the bouncy rhyming text is a joy to read aloud. Children will soon join in with the repeated 'scoop, wiggle, wiggle' - no doubt matching actions to the words!- as Mole creates his home.

Bird, Beaver and Bee fail to look beyond the mound which they can see above the ground and so make very poorly informed and inaccurate assumptions about what Mole's house is like. They show off, singing the virtues of their own homes, and yet it is quiet, unassuming Mole who has created not only the grandest residence, but the one which is able to offer shelter to all in the storm.

The story lends itself to conversations about the importance of never judging a book by its cover as well as the importance of being thoughtful and kind in our dealings with others. The illustrations are delightful and there are plenty of details to notice, including spotting the snail which makes regular appearances.

Children will enjoy seeing the progress of Mole's home as he creates it and may well enjoy designing and drawing their own Mole homes, discussing the things which they think are important for making a house a home! Funny and thought-provoking!

Picture book / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher