John Dougherty (author) facts for kids

John Dougherty is a children's writer from Northern Ireland. He was born in Larne in 1964. Today, he lives in Gloucestershire, England.

Before becoming a full-time writer, John worked as a primary school teacher. He taught in London during the 1990s and early 2000s. It was during this time that he started writing stories for kids. His very first book came out in 2004. That same year, he decided to focus completely on his writing career.

From November 2013 to 2015, John was the leader of the Children's Writers and Illustrators Group (CWIG). This group is part of the Society of Authors in the UK. It helps support writers and illustrators who create books for young people.

John Dougherty's Books

John Dougherty has written many exciting books for children. These include funny stories, picture books, and even retellings of classic tales.

Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face Series

This popular series follows the adventures of two characters, Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face. The books are known for their humor and silly situations. David Tazzyman illustrated all the books in this series.

• Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Badgers (2014)
• Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Quest for the Magic Porcupine (2014)
• Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Evilness of Pizza (2015)
• Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Bees of Stupidity (2015)
• Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Big Story Nickers (2016)
• Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Kerfuffle Christmas Kidnap (2016)

Picture Books

John has also written lovely picture books for younger readers.

• There's a Pig Up My Nose (2017), illustrated by Laura Hughes
• The Hare-Shaped Hole (2023), illustrated by Thomas Docherty

Zeus Series

This series features the adventures of Zeus.

• Zeus on the Loose (2004)
• Zeus to the Rescue (2007)
• Zeus Sorts It Out (2011)

Bansi O'Hara Series

These books follow the character Bansi O'Hara.

• Bansi O'Hara and the Bloodline Prophecy (2008)
• Bansi O'Hara and the Edges of Hallowe'en (2011)

Jack Slater Series

Meet Jack Slater, a monster investigator, in these books.

• Jack Slater, Monster Investigator (2006)
• Jack Slater and the Whisper of Doom (2009)

Stand-Alone Books

These are single books not part of a series.

• Niteracy Hour (2005)
• Mark & Shark: Detectiving & Stuff (2019)

Reading Books for Schools

John Dougherty has also written special books for schools. These often retell famous stories or legends in a way that is easy for students to read.

• Finn MacCool & the Giant's Causeway (2011) - a retelling of an Irish legend for the Oxford Reading Tree
• Twice Upon a Time (2014) - part of the Treetops Chucklers (Oxford University Press)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (2014) - a retelling of the Shakespeare story for Collins' Big Cats
• The Story of Sir Dave (2014) - part of the Oxford University Press Project X range
• The Tempest (2015) - a retelling of the Shakespeare story for Collins' Big Cats
• Astron (2015) - for the Oxford Reading Tree
• The Fall of Julius Caesar (2017) - a retelling of the Shakespeare story for Collins' Big Cats
• Antony & Cleopatra (2017) - a retelling of the Shakespeare story for Collins' Big Cats
• Holiday of a Lifetime (2019) - for Treetops (Oxford University Press)

Poetry Collections

John has also published a book of poems.

• Dinosaurs & Dinner-Ladies (2016), illustrated by Tom Morgan-Jones

Awards and Recognitions

Many of John Dougherty's books have been recognized with awards or nominations. This shows how much readers and judges enjoy his stories.

• Zeus on the Loose was a finalist for the Branford Boase Award in 2005.
• Niteracy Hour was a finalist for the Nottingham Children's Book Prize in 2006. It was also a finalist for the Coventry Inspiration Raring 2 Read Award in 2008.
• Jack Slater, Monster Investigator was a finalist for the Ottakars' Children's Book Prize in 2006.
• Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Big Story Nickers was a finalist for the first Eugenie Summerfield Children's Book Prize in 2018.
• There's a Pig Up My Nose won Oscar's Book Prize in 2018.
• Mark & Shark: Detecting & Stuff was a runner-up in the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards in 2021.
• The Hare-Shaped Hole won the Junior Juries’ Award and the Judges’ Special Award at the KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards in 2024. It also won the United Kingdom Literacy Association Award (for ages 3-6+) in 2024. This book was also a finalist for Oscar's Book Prize in 2024.