World, meet Pocket Bear.
Meet Pocket, created as a good luck charm for soldiers going into battle, whose bravery and loyalty lives on long after the war.
From Katherine Applegate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Odder and The One and Only Ivan.
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.
On Shelves September 9, 2025.
Sign up to host a Pocket Bear toy drive!
“Books change the world. And so can you.”
In Floyd County, Virginia, the school board canceled their "One Division, One Book" read of wishtree after receiving an outside complaint.
This video is my message to the kids in Floyd County, and to any student experiencing something similar.
The important thing is to remember: Books change the world. And so can you.
“If you ask me, when somebody tells you not to read a book, that is a really good reason to head straight to the library.”
New Books
Mouse and His Dog (A Dogtown Book), with Gennifer Choldenko
Now in Paperback
Odder: An Otter’s Story
Picture Book
The One and Only Ruby
Now in Paperback
Willodeen
Now in Paperback
Watch Katherine Applegate read an excerpt from The One and Only Bob.
The One and Only Ivan, adapted by Disney and starring Sam Rockwell, Angelina Jolie, Danny DeVito, Bryan Cranston, Ariana Greenblatt, Helen Mirren, and many more is available digitally for rent or purchase!