Pocket Bear, written by Katherine Applegate. Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2025. $24.99 ages 8 and up

"Pocket and Berwon chatted for hours. 
They talked about bear things. 
Why they had such stubby tails. Why
bears hibernated all winter. Why they 
were obsessed with honey. 
They talked about toy things. 
The indignities they'd endured. The 
stuffy attics. The stench of mothballs. 
They talked about getting-old things. 
Loose joints. Frayed stitching. The 
inevitable, dismaying loss of precious 
fur. 
They even talked about war things."

Zephyrina, the cat narrator of this marvelous new book by fan favorite Katherine Applegate, is quite impressed with her growing record for discovering discarded toys and handing them over to Elizaveta and Dasha, refugees from the war in Ukraine, at The Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured. Zephyrina's own story is one of finding and adopting these humans. 

Any plush toy goes to Pocket Bear, who determines the toy's need for human ministrations. Then, Elizaveta and Dasha do their best to clean them up, hoping that they can find their owner or a new home. Zephyrina's latest find is a very old stuffed bear, covered in spaghetti sauce and pasta, and in need of tender, loving care. Named Berwon and accepted into their fold, he is processed for discovery or adoption. It takes no time for he and Pocket to become fast friends. They are kindred spirits; the history of each is an integral part of the storytelling. Pocket was a mascot bear in WWI, tucked into a soldier's uniform to bring comfort during fighting. Berwon could conceivably be the first teddy bear ever made in Germany and shipped to the United States in 1903.  

After mother and daughter have gone to bed, the toys come to life under Pocket's leadership. They play and enjoy life until dawn, then return to their spot in the apartment window. Both an antique dealer and a museum curator show an interest in Berwon. This sets the stage for some despicable hijinks and a courageous rescue. When all is said and done, the fate of both bears is left to kind-hearted, thoughtful Dasha to make a heartfelt and difficult decision. 

"“Our job,” Pocket said, “our only job, is to wait with hope.
Always with hope. And while we wait, to care for each other.”"