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.

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...

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!!!