Thomas Docherty Illustrator

The cover of It Won't Be Forever, depicting a father fox, backpack by his side, comforting his cub before going away

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

Covers of the Greek and German editions of The Bear-Shaped Hole, a book for children about loss. Both covers feature a bear-cub holding hands with the silhouette of a lost friend.

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

Lovely message John.

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

Today's #BookTrustStorytime spotlight is on the wonderful #Superwolf by @helendocherty.bsky.social and @thomasdocherty.bsky.social!

Head to our website to find Helen reading the story plus additional activities and resources to use in your library:

https://bit.ly/4nY61vi

We're delighted that #Superwolf by @helendocherty.bsky.social & @thomasdocherty.bsky.social has been shortlisted for #BookTrustStorytime Prize 2026! 🥳

Huge congrats and thank you to @booktrust.org.uk for all their important work in engaging children across the country through the prize!

Thank you for this lovely review

Follow the Swallow by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Thomas Docherty Cover illustration copyright © Thomas Docherty 2025 The enduring popularity of The Gruffalo and the BBC’s adaptations of some of Julia Donaldson’s picture books that are now a big part …

This week’s #PictureBookFriday review is for the beautiful Follow the Swallow by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by @thomasdocherty.bsky.social. Out 05/06 from @farshorebooks.bsky.social

worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2025/05/30/f...

Thrilled to have two fabulous books on the #BookTrustStorytime Prize 2026 longlist!

✨One Goose, Two Moose by @kaeltudor.bsky.social & Nicola Slater

✨Superwolf by @helendocherty.bsky.social & @thomasdocherty.bsky.social

Huge congrats!

Thank you for sharing Follow The Swallow, it was such fun to illustrate this lovely story.

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

The book and its press release. The foiled cover shows a swallow flying across a large sun, followed by an assortment of other animals.

Who doesn’t love a Julia Donaldson story? Excited to receive a copy of her latest title, Follow the Swallow, illustrated by @thomasdocherty.bsky.social Out 05/06 for 3-6 readers, huge thanks go to @sarahreadsandruns.bsky.social @farshorebooks.bsky.social 🥰 #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

Thank you for sharing Follow The Swallow, it was a pleasure to illustrate Julia's wonderful text.

The Bear-Shaped Hole The Bear-Shaped HoleJohn Dougherty and Thomas DochertyFrances Lincoln Children’s Books Loss , especially death is always difficult to deal with even when you know it’s coming. So it is with this co…

A skilfully written moving rhyming story of loss and love
@writerpoetjohn.bsky.social beautifully illustrated by @thomasdocherty.bsky.social #TheBearShapedHole @quartokids.bsky.social #FrancesLincolnChildrensBooks is #RedReadingHub’s #picturebook of the day reviewed on the blog wp.me/p11DI5-d8f

Thank you for sharing The Bear-Shaped Hole

Thank you for sharing Moon Girl.

Thanks for sharing my Moon Girl artwork!

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Thomas Docherty from his picturebook Moon Girl about Leila who is afraid of the dark but is helped by the girl in the moon who has a paintbrush full of moonlight. Spot the cat, the fox, the owl. From OUP 3 April. @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social @thomasdocherty.bsky.social

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

Thanks Simon for such a lovely review of our book.

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

Got to see @thomasdocherty.bsky.social's roughs for our next collaboration and they are GORGEOUS.

Read it slowly and understand it. 😳🥺

Repost 👇🏾 👇🏾

Helen and Thomas Docherty in the Rocketship Bookshop in Salisbury, with signed copies of their books: Someone Just like You, All The Ways I Love You, All The Things We Carry, Superwolf, Into The Wild and The Hare-Shaped Hole

Thank you to the lovely people at @rshipbshop.bsky.social in #Salisbury for getting lots of copies of our books in for us to sign! 📚 😍
@thomasdocherty.bsky.social grew up in Salisbury, so this is a special bookshop for us ❤️ and it has such a brilliantly curated selection of children's books! 📚

My new book Moon Girl with OUP is out in April and available to pre-order now. It's also being published in The Netherlands and in Finland. I had so much fun painting the moonlight glow and all the creatures hugging in the dark and the lovely, trusting relationship between the girls.

What thoughtful responses, so lovely to read them.

It's lovely to hear that. I'm so proud of the illustrations I have done for this book and it's such an important topic. John's words were a pleasure to work with.

If you look carefully in the last photo, you'll see a signed copy of The Hare-Shaped Hole by @writerpoetjohn.bsky.social and @thomasdocherty.bsky.social on display 😊

The Bear-Shaped hole, a new picture book by John Dougherty and Thomas Docherty

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