There’s a new member of Applegate’s memorable fictional menagerie, which includes the stars of Crenshaw, Odder, and the Newbery-winning The One and Only Ivan. The eponymous hero of Pocket Bear, a middle grade novel published by Feiwel and Friends last month, is a diminutive stuffed bear inspired by actual good luck charms made for World War I soldiers.
What inspired you to create a character with this special wartime mission—and later a passion for giving toys a second life?
The story ended up having more of a historical angle as I learned about the notion of pocket bears. It was gratifying to be able to talk about war in a gentle way that is appropriate for younger readers. Pocket Bears were made by the J.K. Farnell Company of London. The three-and-a-half-inch stuffed bears were designed to fit into the pocket of a soldier’s jacket, with tiny glass eyes sewn on a bit higher than normal so that the bear always gazed upward, looking at the soldier. It was so comforting to families to give them to their soldiers, and the notion struck me as very poignant.
I love finding those little historical data bits that take you on a journey. I went down a rabbit hole and discovered a contemporary company based in London called Loved Before, which takes donated stuffed toys and rehabs them with eco-friendly, fully sustainable materials and packaging. The rehabbed toys are then sold, and a lot of the profits are donated to charity. And this also keeps a lot of toys out of landfills.
What writing projects do you have underway?
I’m putting the finishing touches on Wombat Waiting, a novel for HarperCollins about a dog who looks like a wombat. It is set during
and after a wildfire in Los Angeles and is not so much about the devastation that results but about resilience, since Wombat is a “destiny dog,” searching for her one and only person.
I also have a picture book, The Littlest Elephant, in the works with HarperCollins, based on The One and Only Ruby and illustrated by Lita Judge. And I have a couple of graphic novels, a picture book, and several more middle grades under contract. I’m so grateful and lucky to have more work to do.
What are you looking forward to at NCTE?
I am going to talk a bit about resilience and hope. There is something so reassuring about being around others in the publishing world who are concerned about the battle for the soul of our country. It’s comforting to know you’re not alone. Educators and librarians are on the front lines fighting the everyday battles. As authors we struggle to find that seed of hope, but when you get right down to it, that is our job.
