Eyes Up: A Pocket Bear Interview with Katherine Applegate

You know, if I ever go for that children’s literature PhD I’ve been hankering after, there are just so many different kinds of thesis topics to consider. Here’s one that I hope to high heaven someone has tried before: Bears and war in books for kids. Think about it. First you have your living bears like Voytek or Winnie. Then you have your stuffed bears, like Otto by Tomi Ungerer. Add in the armored bears of His Dark Materials and you’ve got yourself an overarching theme, my friend. Yet for all that these bears have graced the pages of children’s books, there are still bears out there that have yet to see their own stories represented. Into that gaping void comes Katherine Applegate. And believe me, when Applegate writes, people read.

Her latest middle grade novel is Pocket Bear (out September 9th and with three starred reviews to its name already). With its roots in real history, don’t be fooled by its whimsical cover. There is some seriously good writing going on here.

The publisher describes it this way:

“Thimble-born from tip to toe, Pocket Bear remembers every moment of his becoming: the glimmering needle, the silken thread, the tender hands as each careful stitch brought him closer to himself. Born during the throes of WWI, he was designed to fit into the pocket of a soldier’s jacket, eyes sewn a bit higher than normal so that he always gazed upward. That way, glancing at his pocket, a soldier would see an endearing token of love from someone back home, and, hopefully, a good luck charm.

Now, over a century later, Pocket serves as unofficial mayor of Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured, where stuffed toy animals are refurbished and given a fresh opportunity to be loved. He and his best feline friend Zephyrina, known far and wide as “The Cat Burglar,” have seen it all, and then some.

An unforgettable tale of bravery, loyalty, and kindness, Pocket reminds us all that love comes in many forms (sometimes filled with fluff), and that second chances are always possible.”

You know who’s fun to interview? Katherine Applegate.

You know who I’m going to interview right now? Katherine Applegate.

---

Betsy Bird: Hi, Katherine! Thanks so much for talking to me today! So I’m wracking my brain. Just wracking and wracking and wracking it, because for the life of me I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen you write a book about an inanimate object before, let alone a toy. Toy narratives are also fascinating to me. There are doll narratives and then there are stuffed animal narratives. What appealed to you about the stuffed animal type? And what is this particular book’s origin story?

Katherine Applegate: Thrilled to be here, Betsy. But let’s get something straight from the get-go. Stuffed animals do not appreciate being referred to as “inanimate objects.” Just ask any kid. Toys have rich, complex inner lives. We grown-ups aren’t privy to them because we’re distracted and jaded and, well, kinda boring.

Sorry about the brain-wracking. And you’re right. I’ve never written a book about an inanimate object. Although I did write wishtree, which was narrated by a red oak tree. (As it happens, only 1% of a mature dormant tree is alive at any one time. So I guess you could argue that I came close.)

Why stuffed animals and not dolls? Well, I think we can all agree that most, if not all, dolls are potentially creepy. How many movies have you seen where a sweet little stuffy turns out to be possessed by demons?

(By the way, there is some debate about what we call soft toys. Plushies? Floofs? Stuffies? Floppies? Transition objects? I tend to opt for “stuffed animals,” although it can bring to mind an exhibit at a natural history museum.)

I confess I’ve always had a soft spot for soft toys. (As I admit in my author’s note, I really shouldn’t be allowed to shop for Jellycats or Gunds without adult supervision.) It’s those eyes! Those imploring, needy, hopeful eyes!

I suppose that’s why I was so drawn to an article I came across a couple years ago about “pocket bears.” Also called “mascot” or “soldier” bears, these tiny 3 1/2” tall bears were created by a London company called J.K. Farnell. They later went on to create Edward Bear, the inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh. (I believe you and Pooh once shared the same workspace back in the day?)

Pocket bears, created during World War I, were designed to fit into the breast pocket of a soldier’s uniform. The little glass eyes of each bear were placed a bit higher than you might expect. That way, when a soldier glanced down, he would see a token of love—and, hopefully, a a good luck charm—looking up at him.

The story of these little bears (there were cats as well) struck me as so moving that I decided to wrap a novel around it. And that’s how POCKET BEAR came to be.

BB: I did work with Edward, yes, though he was far too large to fit in anyone’s pocket. Now to a certain extent, the book has something to say about both war and refugees of those wars. That’s an issue that I wish felt a little less prescient and contemporary. Was any of that on your mind as you wrote the book?

Katherine: Sadly, yes.

At its heart, this book is a gentle examination of the effects of war. (I hasten to add that it’s also fun and boisterous and silly.) Two of the household’s bears have observed the effects of war on people they loved. And Dasha and Elizaveta, a mother and daughter from Ukraine, are refugees from that horrible conflict. They lost Dasha’s father in the war, and Dasha uses crutches because of an injury she suffered in a bombing. (All offscreen, so not too dark for a younger reader.) I wanted to talk about the bravery of refugees, and the important gifts they bring to our country.

Each night, Pocket whispers the same benediction to his fellow toys: May tomorrow bring you the second chance you each deserve. POCKET BEAR is very much a story about starting over in the face of great odds. It’s no coincidence that Dasha and Elizaveta call their efforts to rehab old toys “The Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured.”

BB: Out of curiosity, what are some of your own favorite stuffed animal children’s book narratives? Were any of them something you looked at before writing POCKET BEAR?

Katherine: Favorite stuffed animal story? How can I not mention Winnie-the-Pooh?  Adventurer, philosopher, seeker after honey. Obviously I don’t want to slight Paddington Bear, himself a world traveler and action hero. But Pooh was more my bear.  And if there’s any stuffed creature I identify with personally, it would have to be Eeyore. “Could be worse. Not sure how, but it could be,” is my version of happy-go-lucky optimism.

Another fave is the TOYS GO OUT series by Emily Jenkins, with gorgeous illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky. The books are clever, charming, and truly sweet. Not to be missed.

And while she’s a marionette (so not exactly cuddly), I adore NELLIE, A CAT ON HER OWN, by Natalie Babbitt. I came across the book, which she illustrated, as an adult when I wrote an introduction to Babbitt’s wonderful essay collection, BARKING WITH THE BIG DOGS. NELLIE is surprising and thoughtful and quirky, and I quickly bought a first edition that I treasure to this day.

BB: Babbitt appears to be a bit of a theme on my blog this week. So did you have a clear-cut vision of precisely how the plot of the book would go right from the start, or did it take a bit of trial and error on your part?

Katherine: A clear-cut vision? Hah! Is that an actual thing?  It’s always trial and error for me. When you think about it, writing is nothing but choice after choice after choice. Big choices and little ones. Where you put a period is, after all, a choice.

With Pocket Bear, I auditioned pretty much everyone in the book for the role of narrator before Zephyrina, the streetwise, sassy cat, meowed her way into the running. I’m glad I waited for her. She was a hoot to write.

BB: Illustrations in the book were tackled by the incredible Charles Santoso, who also worked on ODDER. What quality is it in Charles’s art that complements your stories so well? And how do you feel about the art in your latest?

Katherine: Charles Santoso is so good, so perceptive, so intuitive, and has such a talent for imbuing a picture with emotion and character, that I always feel like I need to elevate my game to come up to his standards. The man is brilliant.

Of course the cover of POCKET BEAR is irresistible. Charles’ covers always are. But wait until you see the interior art. If you have any doubts about whether stuffed animals can come to life, his illustrations will dispel them. They are delicate, poignant, funny, and timeless.

BB: Finally, what else do you have coming out these days? What’s next for you?  

Katherine: Lots of fun things. In March, 2026, a picture book illustrated by the one and only Lita Judge called THE LITTLEST ELEPHANT: A ONE AND ONLY RUBY STORY.  The final book in the DOGTOWN trilogy, written with my brilliant friend Gennifer Choldenko and chock full of hilarious illustrations by Wallace West. A middle grade novel with Harpercollins called WOMBAT, WAITING. Another picture book and a couple more middle grade novels down the road.

A day doesn’t go by that I don’t remind myself how lucky I am.

---

One might point out that we the readers are the lucky ones in this situation.

Huge thanks to Katherine for answering all my questions (and to Chantal Gersch and the folks at Macmillan for putting this together).

Now as a special note, I need to alert all the librarians, teachers, and booksellers out there. This is kind of cool. You have a chance, after reading and sharing Pocket Bear, to host a Pocket Bear Toy Collection Drive of your very own to benefit the children in your community. And if you sign up here today you can receive a “How to Host a Toy Drive” guide, poster, “I donated” stickers, and more. Mind you, materials will be shipped the first week of October while supplies last, so take that into account.

Pocket Bear is on shelves everywhere, September 9th.

Filed under: Interviews