A review by bookishbeets
Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The end brought me to tears. This book follows a street cat turned domestic named Zephyrina. She is sassy and independent and is known as the cat burglar. She is responsible for bringing home toys (the humans call it stealing) for a toy rescue called, Second Chances. By night it is run by Pocket, a tiny handmade bear that was made to comfort soldier's in WW1. By day it is run by Dasha, a human girl who is a refugee from Ukraine that was injured in a bombing.
I really enjoy Katherine Applegate's style of writing. I have read 4 so far and they all have pulled at my heartstrings.
She has a great ability to connect the human reader to animals/creatures/toys in her stories. She expresses hard or complex issues in a very digestible way for children.
This book is Toy Story meets Winnipeg (the real Winnie the Pooh).
Themes are: coping with war, consumerism vs repairing and reusing toys, second chances, strong family values, disability and healing, friendship and empathy.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.