Genre: Children's 3-5 years
Published: January 2, 2024
Pages: 40
The Hare-Shaped Hole is a beautiful, touching and poignant picture book that gently explores themes of grief and loss.
Hertle and Bertle were always a pair, though one was a turtle and one was a hare.
They were utterly buddies, and best friends forever, and whenever you looked, you would find them together... until quite unexpectedly... the end came. When Hertle disappears for good, Bertle can only see a Hertle-shaped hole where his friend should be. He pleads with it, get angry with it, but the hole still won't bring his Hertle back. It seems like hope is lost... until Gerda the kindly bear finds him.
She explains that he must fill the hole with his memories of Hertle. And slowly... Bertle begins to feel a little bit better.
Powerful and moving text from children's author and poet John Dougherty is paired perfectly with warm illustrations from the wonderfully talented Thomas Docherty, in a thoughtful and sensitive approach to this difficult topic.
This moving picture book will be loved and treasured by children and adults alike. With kids, it can be used to start a gentle conversation about death and grief. And as a gift for a grieving friend, it’s the ideal gesture. Anyone who has lost a pet or loved one will be comforted by Bertle’s journey to acceptance and reassured by the fact that, eventually, things do get better.
Hertle and Bertle were always a pair, though one was a turtle and one was a hare.
They were utterly buddies, and best friends forever, and whenever you looked, you would find them together... until quite unexpectedly... the end came. When Hertle disappears for good, Bertle can only see a Hertle-shaped hole where his friend should be. He pleads with it, get angry with it, but the hole still won't bring his Hertle back. It seems like hope is lost... until Gerda the kindly bear finds him.
She explains that he must fill the hole with his memories of Hertle. And slowly... Bertle begins to feel a little bit better.
Powerful and moving text from children's author and poet John Dougherty is paired perfectly with warm illustrations from the wonderfully talented Thomas Docherty, in a thoughtful and sensitive approach to this difficult topic.
This moving picture book will be loved and treasured by children and adults alike. With kids, it can be used to start a gentle conversation about death and grief. And as a gift for a grieving friend, it’s the ideal gesture. Anyone who has lost a pet or loved one will be comforted by Bertle’s journey to acceptance and reassured by the fact that, eventually, things do get better.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.
This is a story about a turtle and a hare who are somewhat unlikely friends, up until the day that the hare is just no longer there. The turtle is trying to learn how to deal with his grief over the loss of his friend when Gerda the bear comes along. She tells him that he needs to fill the hole where his friend was with memories of his friend. And while that won't cure the grief completely, it will make it a little easier to bear.
While this story is about death and grief, I think it can be a good lesson for children with friends who have just moved away as well. And while they might not fill the hole with memories alone because phone calls and video chats are a thing now, it still hurts when a friend moves away. I'd definitely be fine reading this book several times because the message is good. The illustrations were bright, colorful, and fun.
Overall I give The Hare-Shaped Hole 4.7329 out of 5 stars. - Katie
Author and poet John Dougherty has been writing children’s books for over twenty years. His work ranges quite literally from the sublime to the ridiculous, including as it does the hilarious and surreal Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face series and There’s a Pig Up My Nose, and the beautiful and multi-award winning The Hare-Shaped Hole. His books have been translated into more than 25 languages worldwide.
A former teacher, John was one of the first Patrons of Reading in the UK and is a passionate advocate for both public libraries and the importance of reading for pleasure. Born in Northern Ireland, he now lives in Gloucestershire with his wife Jennie.
Thomas Docherty is an author and illustrator of children's books, who is 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 and The Knight Who Wouldn’t Fight. His books have been sold around the world and have eben translated into more than 25 languages.
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