Pocket Bear
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πͺ Magical Realism β€οΈβπ©Ή Found Family π² Second Chances
π Historical Fiction β Emotional β¨ Comedy
This was one of my highly anticipated releases of September and it certainly did not disappoint! It's also the first book I've read from Katherine Applegate and I'm really looking forward to exploring more of her work.
βIt seemed like an awfully big burden to put on the shoulders of a tiny bear.β
Favorites
The structure of this book is so unique; using Zephyrina as the narrator is so clever and adds just enough humor to an otherwise emotional read. Her quick remarks and initial lack of sympathy are spot on for a feline friend and remind me of how my own cat might act. These traits allowed strong character development as the book progressed and felt very natural to the storyline.
Pocket is the perfect leader for a place like Second Chances. He's wise, considerate, patient, and treats everyone, regardless of their background, with respect. When faced with the opportunity to change his humans' lives forever, he does not make the decision alone. He includes all of those involved and handles the matter with care. Not only does he encourage Zephyrina and comfort Berwon, but maintains order amongst the group and silently supports Elizaveta and Dasha.
I wasn't sure how a dark subject, like war, could be written into a book for such young readers, though I must say how impressed I am by Katherine Applegate's ability to do so. She introduced very raw feelings and heavy situations, such as refugees, grief, fear, and PTSD with such delicacy and care. She found a way to avoid the violence, and instead brought facts and encouragement to light. Empathy and friendship are the main takeaways, with bravery and adventure mentioned, as well. Katherine does a great job of exhibiting the possibility of discomfort or inconvenience when putting others first and how trivial it is when assisting a friend. Yes, Zephyrina may have been smelly and tired after her rescue mission, but in her heart she knew how important these actions were to Pocket, Berwon, and Dasha.
I really enjoyed the images that were scattered throughout the novel. I felt the scenes that were chosen to be illustrated were brilliant and added so much depth to the story. Theyβre detailed and really bring to life the comfort that Second Chances provides itβs visitors.
βLook at us... Here we are, all these decades later. As if it never happened. The war long since forgotten.β
Final Thoughts
I had to fact check the history of the sunken teddy bears while reading because there is just NO WAY that something this sad happened to such adorable inanimate objects and no one told me. I had always been the child who's gentle with her stuffies, silently hoping that even though they weren't real, they somehow could feel my love. This book absolutely brought some of that childhood magic back to my heart and may or may not have stolen a few of my tears
βTrue friends are like stars: always there, even when you cant see them.β
