Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 07/21/2025 When haughty former street cat Zephyrina finds abandoned, down-on-their-luck toys, she takes them to the apartment where she lives with mother-daughter duo Elizaveta and Dasha, refugees from Ukraine. At night, the family’s toy collection awakens, roaming free under Zephyrina’s watchful eye and the guidance of her best friend, stuffed teddy Pocket Bear. "Thimble-born" more than a century ago, Pocket was designed to fit in the front uniform pouch of an American soldier and provide comfort in the trenches during WWI. Now the wise "sarge" of this home of misfit toys, Pocket readily accepts Zephyrina’s newest find: an ursine plush with a mysterious past, which she spotted covered in tomato sauce and pasta behind an Italian restaurant. Via attentive and nuanced renderings of the apartment’s unique residents and the humans who care for them, Newbery Medalist Applegate weaves a gently sophisticated tale that considers the trauma brought about by war on those forced to endure it. Zephyrina’s grudging first-person POV injects humor into tender and eloquent narrative sequences, which Santoso (Evelyn Witch Gets a Pet) expertly complements with detailed grayscale illustrations depicting moments such as Pocket’s loving creation and a midnight conference of toys. Across brief yet rousing chapters, this treasure of a book evokes laughter, tears, and introspection in equal measure. Ages 8-12. Author’s agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Heirloom Literary. (Sept.) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 09/19/2025 Gr 4–6—Readers will fall in love with their childhood teddy bear all over again in Applegate's new heartwarming novel. Feline Zephyrina (also known as Corporal Z) is a kleptocat; sole supplier for the Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured. In this home for forgotten stuffed animals, there is one leader—a handmade miniature soldier bear named Pocket. Pocket is a devoted sergeant who spent time in WWI; he is always caring for the toys in his charge and his beloved human family Dasha and Elizaveta, refugees from Ukraine. When Corporal Z finds an old stuffed bear in the trash behind an Italian restaurant, she knows exactly where to take him for his second chance. As Pocket and his family care for their new recruit, a wartime secret begs to burst to the surface. Who is this bear? And can he help the family of Second Chances just as much as they've helped him? Applegate's latest strikes at the heart, addressing the vitality of empathy, the long-lasting effects of war, and the power of found family. Readers follow the plot through Zephyrina's perspective and journey from a tough street cat to a loving pet. One can either let their past harden them or let it soften them to the world around them, and the characters of Applegate's book strive for empathy and softness. VERDICT This tender story about empathy, war, and family is a must-buy for libraries with readers who already love Applegate's dynamic repertoire.—Ashton Conley - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 08/01/2025 *Starred Review* Zephyrina (a cat) considers herself an honorable thief, rescuing cast-off and lost items and bringing them to the humans she has adopted. However, plush toys go straight to her friend Pocket Bear, who evaluates each one before the humans (Elizaveta and her daughter, Dasha) clean them up and add them to the secondhand toy shop they’ve set up in their home. Zephyrina’s latest heist causes a stir when she delivers a very old stuffed bear to diminutive Pocket, who stands “three and a half inches max, nose to toes.” Sewn as a mascot bear that a WWI soldier could tuck into his uniform, Pocket recognizes a kindred spirit in this new bear. Elizaveta and Dasha also see something special in him, naming him Berwon and suspecting he might be the very first teddy bear ever created—a discovery that leads to underhanded dealings and Zephyrina’s biggest job yet. On its surface, this Toy Story–esque tale is a gentle fantasy-adventure with a dash of mystery, but Applegate adds layers that give the story meaningful depth. The history of teddy bears is deftly stitched into the narrative, and the echoes of war quietly reverberate through the tale in unexpected ways. Soft graphite chapter illustrations reflect the story’s sweetness in charming detail, while Zephyrina’s narration adds a memorable and comic touch to this salute to friendship and second chances.High-Demand Backstory: Applegate's books are reliably wonderful—see her Newbery Medal and best-seller status—and Pocket Bear's large first-print run reflects the expectation that this will be another popular title. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.