The Hare-Shaped Hole

“A beautiful, gentle, rhyming exploration of grief and mourning”

* Joseph Coelho, Waterstones Children’s Laureate *“Explaining grief to children is one of the hardest things of all but Hare-Shaped Hole does it beautifully. Bertle Turtle experiences every emotion as he tries to come to terms with the loss of his best friend, Hertle Hare, but eventually realises that she’ll always live on in his heart and his mind. It’s a book full of love, empathy and wisdom. Hare-Shaped Hole is a fantastic collaboration between author John Dougherty and illustrator Thomas Docherty and needs to find a place in primary schools across the country.” * Jon Biddle *“When Hertle the hare goes away, Bertle can only see a Hertle-shaped hole and he misses his friend. A sweet and poignant story about loss.” * The Bookseller *“This is a deceptively deep story about love and loss, enlivened by charming art.” * Storytime Magazine *“The Hare-Shaped Hole tackles ideas around grief and bereavement with sensitivity and warmth, and could help you and your children start tricky conversations.”  * BookTrust *“This book is a delight and perfect for working with children on bereavement, grief and loss […] deserves to be in every classroom in the UK”  * ELSA Support *“Truly a wonderful read” * Grief Encounter *“A beautiful book” * Winston’s Wish *“Beautiful guidance on how to keep the memories of those we love and miss alive within us.”  * The Grief Gang Podcast *“The perfect starter book for introducing children to conversations about death and dying.” * Cumberland News *‘A touching story that navigates the stages of grief with grace, this is a beautifully written story with breath-taking illustrations. An excellent book that I’ve no doubt will bring some readers a lot of comfort.’ * Books Ireland Magazine *

John Dougherty was born in Larne, Northern Ireland, and not many years later they made him go to school - an experience he didn’t find entirely enjoyable. Fortunately, the joys of reading helped him through the difficult times. It’s therefore not completely surprising that when he grew up he became first a teacher (the nice sort), and then a writer of stories and poetry for children. He also writes songs, some of which he performs with First Draft, a band made up of three children’s authors and a bookseller. He now lives in England with his two children.

Thomas Docherty is an author and illustrator of childrens books based in Swansea. His first picture book, The Little Boat was shortlisted for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal, and he has also worked on several books with his wife Helen Docherty, including The Snatchabook, The Knight Who Wouldn’t Fight and Pirate Nell’s Tale To Tell. His books have been sold around the world and have eben translated into more than 25 languages.