My new spooky picture-book, beautifully illustrated by @mattschu.bsky.social, is currently in offer on Amazon: link.amazon/B09Qzt0CO

The partnership between writer @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social and illustrator Thomas Docherty continues to flourish. It Won't Be Forever, their third collaboration, beautifully explores the anxiety young children can often feel when separated from a loved one. Very special indeed.

PUBLICATION DAY!!! @quartokids.bsky.social @thomasdocherty.bsky.social

Very excited to reveal the cover of It Won't Be Forever, my latest collaboration with @thomasdocherty.bsky.social, coming in May from @QuartoKids

I love finding out what titles my foreign editions have been given! It turns out that #TheBearShapedHole is published as The Shape of the Void in Greek, and What Will Remain When You Leave, Bear? in German @thomasdocherty.bsky.social @quartokids.bsky.social

I've just noticed that the river site is doing a promo deal on The Bear-Shaped Hole - almost 50% off. www.amazon.co.uk/Bear-Shaped-...

Thanks so much for sharing, and for all the good work you do. @thomasdocherty.bsky.social

Irish Hospice Foundation@irishhospice.bsky.social · 11mo ago

📚 Continuing this year’s BCAW focus on books, we’re sharing a message from author John Dougherty. 💛 His book, A Hare-Shaped Hole, beautifully explores emotional expression and continuing bonds for bereaved children. 👉 More reads: childhoodbereavement.ie/bookshelf #ChildrenGrieveToo #BCAW2025

This was excellent (even though I almost couldn't make out the words toward the end through the tears welling up). An extraordinarily beautiful book about grief and rememberance. @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social @thomasdocherty.bsky.social

So lovely to get an unexpected Thai edition through the post! @thomasdocherty.bsky.social @quartokids.bsky.social #TheHareShapedHole

For goodness sake how are they not getting this. Artists can’t just steal each other’s ideas, so why should non-artists be allowed to. This is maddening.

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · last yr.

Sounds like a you problem!

Very pleased to see The Bear-Shaped Hole chosen as one of @theguardian.com’s best new books for children ❤️ www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels

A girl with super strength; anarchic doughnuts on a mission to rule the world; boys in the Blitz; an Igbo YA fantasy and more

theguardian.com

Publication day! #TheBearShapedHole, companion title to #TheHareShapedHole, is out in the world today!

In advance of publication this week of #TheBearShapedHole, thanks to @thomasdocherty.bsky.social and @quartokids.bsky.social for my lovely new t-shirt!

@robinince.bsky.social Hi, Robin. Hope all's well with you! I have a small request - something both poetry- & science-related, so (I think) right up your street? Can I contact you a bit more privately? John

The Bear-Shaped Hole is publishing this May! 🐻✨ "The Bear-Shaped Hole is going to be one of the most important picturebooks of 2025." @jonnybid.bsky.social "powerful, sad and joyous in equal measure." @smithsmm.bsky.social By @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social & @thomasdocherty.bsky.social 🩵

Absolutely lovely bookpost today “The Bear-Shaped Hole” by @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social and @thomasdocherty.bsky.social is a truly wonderful book for supporting young people in preparing for loss. It’s powerful, sad and joyous in equal measure. Beautiful @quartokids.bsky.social #PicturebookPage

Unboxing video!!! "The Bear-Shaped Hole is going to be one of the most important picturebooks of 2025." - Jon Biddle #BearShapedHole #HareShapedHole #kidlit #loss #grief @thomasdocherty.bsky.social @jonnybid.bsky.social

Schools often have differing aims in mind when they book an author visit. But the school I'm visiting virtually on World Book Day this week has asked me to inspire a love of reading. And honestly I think that's absolutely the best use of an author visit. And what I love to do! #kidlituk

Authors, poets, illustrators and storytellers are happy to visit schools at any time of the year, not just on World Book Day (which is often fully booked months in advance). Celebrate reading on WBD and then arrange an author visit a few weeks later to build on it.

Thrilled to have 3 poems in Do Poems Grow On Trees? A brilliant new poetry anthology with so many amazing children’s poets inside. I have a few copies if anyone would like one. Please Dm. Thank you! 💛

Look what’s just arrived! I’ve been looking forward to this one! @attielime.bsky.social @otterbarrybooks.bsky.social

The Bear-Shaped Hole by @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social and @thomasdocherty.bsky.social is going to be one of the most important picturebooks of 2025. It's been read by almost every class in my school (Y1-Y6) and has received universal acclaim from pupils and staff. uk.bookshop.org/a/3551/97807...

This beautiful, heartfelt book by @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social and @thomasdocherty.bsky.social will be coming out in 2025 💗✨ Another deeply emotional and important book (following on from The Hare-Shaped Hole) which will help to comfort anyone facing the death of a loved one 💜 #thebearshapedhole

So proud of our new book The Bear-Shaped Hole by @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social and myself . I know that this book is going to help so many people, young and old, to talk about and discuss something that can be so hard to put into words. It has been a wonderful experience to work on this book.

So lovely to get my first copies of #TheBearShapedHole, by me and @thomasdocherty.bsky.social, to be published by Quarto in March (US, hardback) and May (UK, paperback). #loss #illness #kidlit

Word of the day is ‘librocubicularist’: one who loves nothing better than reading in bed. (Not easy to say, but I’m glad to know it exists).

Book news!!!