The Bear-Shaped Hole

Gerda and Orlo share a wonderful friendship. Kind and wise, Orlo always has time to listen to, and spend time with, young Gerda, but then things change. Gerda notices that Orlo has become slower and less strong. When she asks him what’s wrong, Orlo explains that he is very ill and is going to die. Heartbroken, Gerda is filled with anger and runs away, trying to escape her grief and pain. On her return, Orlo offers a reassuring bear hug, validating her feelings and assuring her that she will feel happiness again. They spend time together, creating memories and when Orlo dies, Gerda grieves, but his wisdom has prepared her for the loss.

Deeply poignant, ‘The Bear-Shaped Hole’ is a wonderful book to support those facing an impending loss. The rhyming text shares the early experiences of Gerda, the bear who offers comfort to Bertle on the loss of his friend, Hertle, in the story, ‘The Hare-Shaped Hole’, written by the same team. The story sensitively explores Gerda’s reaction to the news that Orlo is going to die, validating her feelings at each stage, and offering the perfect starting point for conversations around loss. However, the book is also perfect for sharing with anyone, at any time, as it reminds readers of the importance of valuing time with others, living in the moments we have and creating special memories.

As with ‘The Hare-Shaped Hole’, the illustrations play a powerful role in sharing Gerda’s story and expressing her feelings. As Gerda flees from Orlo, a spiking, swirl of black trails her; another picture shows this black chaos surrounding her, almost consuming her, brilliantly expressing her feelings in visual form, perhaps helping children to show their emotions in the same way. The love between the two characters is also beautifully captured through their tender looks and joyful memories. Adults guiding children in this situation might suggest that they capture some of the special memories they create using photographs or drawings in the same way that Gerda and Orlo’s are shown in the story.

Those familiar with ‘The Hare- Shaped Hole’ will enjoy spotting some of the characters from that story in the illustrations in this book. Deeply moving, ‘The Bear-Shaped Hole’ is a stunning, comforting and much needed book.

The Bear-Shaped Hole

John Dougherty, illustrated by Thomas Docherty

Frances Lincoln ISBN: 978-0711296602

You can read my review of ‘The Hare-Shaped Hole’ here.