Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate is a story of recovery

The book takes the unreliable point of view from Zephyrina is a cat who is homed by two Ukrainian refugees. Another war survivor that she knows is Pocket Bear, a tiny stuffed bear found by Dasha in a box left in their rental home.  

Pocket Bear is a Mascot Bear

Mascot Bears were tiny stuffed bears that teens fighting World War I would bring into their chest pockets. The bears’ eyes will look upward to make eye contact with the soldiers to give them comfort while fighting. 

But old habits die hard, and turn into new habits

Zephyrina still dumpster dives. Honestly, she was once a stray cat. She doesn’t dive only for food, but also for toys. Pocket Bear would welcome the found toy, and Dasha would fix up the toy and find them a new home. This operation is called Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured. 

But what to do if a toy has monetary value?

A marinara sauce covered bear found in a dumpster at an Italian eatery ends up being the first Teddy Bear. Second Chances is already a spot for antique pickers and museum curators. Yet according to Pocket Bear, it is the toy’s choice what their second chance will be.