POCKET BEAR by Katherine Applegate

It’s always a pleasure to interview Katherine Applegate! I was so excited with the premise of her upcoming book POCKET BEAR (September 9, 2025) I couldn’t wait to learn more about it. And feel free to check out Katherine’s additional past interviews below, including a few with Gennifer Choldenko:

Odder: An Odder’s Story
A Mouse and His Dog
The One and Only Family
Dogtown
The One and Only Ruby
The One and Only Bob
Wishtree

And here’s some more detailed info about POCKET BEAR!

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.

I love the childhood picture on your website that shows you standing in an overly large shirt and hat. What were the circumstances that led to this particular picture being taken?

Isn’t it funny when an old photo brings back random bits and pieces of your past? I suppose that’s how our imperfect memories operate. Picking and choosing. Creating a mosaic that might just make sense.

I was in Jackson, Michigan (I was born in Ann Arbor, MI) at my maternal grandparents’ house in this picture. Age 4, maybe? I suspect the clothes were my grandpa’s. He loved to make the grandkids laugh. Used to tape a thin thread to a quarter, put it on the floor, then wait for assorted cousins to discover it. As soon as we reached for it, he would pull the thread and watch our mystified expressions as the quarter magically hopped away. (And of course, we were then rewarded with it.)

I visited that house with my sisters not long ago, and was shocked to see that the massive hill in the backyard that we used to somersault down was actually about a 3-foot rise.

Memory is a fascinating, slippery thing.

Indeed it is. I found it very interesting (and entertaining!) that POCKET BEAR’s story is told from the perspective of a charming cat named Zephyrina. What led you to this narrative decision?

I tried every perspective imaginable before Zeph sort of meowed her way into the running. The story had some poignant and darker moments, and letting her tell it leavened the tale. (Plus, she was a hoot to write.)

If you have ever loved a cat, you’ll understand Zephyrina.

And she’s certainly a hoot! The educational resources and curriculum guides on your website are amazing. What tips, if any, do you have for authors wanting to create companion content to their novels?

I have been incredibly lucky to have brilliant media specialists and teachers create content. If you’re a writer, I’d definitely recommend asking an educator that you admire to consider putting a book guide together. They bring a unique perspective to the process. I am always in awe of the remarkable ideas and insights they come up with.

Me too! In our last interview, you said, “When writing for kids, we’re all channeling our elementary school selves, after all: writing about things that were close to our hearts.” I feel the exact same way. If you could talk to your elementary school self, what would you tell her?

Stop worrying so much, girl! It’s all going to be okay.

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