Just So Stories

Scholastic Australia

February 2026

ISBN: 9781760266622

RRP: $18.99

Like many others I follow Katherine Applegate on her social media, I think probably I started when I first read Ivan. I was tremendously interested as she wrote about this title but didn’t expect to see it unless it came to the library. So I was absolutely delighted when Scholastic sent me this newly released paperback edition.

And what an absolute delight of a story it is – as one would expect. I love the way Katherine can take real life stories and weave them into a fictional account that blends the two to make one delicious and engaging narrative.

Not only that, but this one taught me (as did Ivan) some history and/or real life incidents about which I had no idea. In her backmatter notes, Katherine outlines the ‘ingredients’ for this ‘recipe’ and what a charming result we have.

We have a mother and daughter, Elizaveta and Dasha, Ukrainian refugees who have adopted a nefarious (sort of) cat burglar called Zephyrina,former stray, now thoroughly addicted to Fancy Feast Classic Pâté [as is Whiskers aka the Demon Spawn I might add]. Zephyrina is not content with prime cat food though. Old habits die hard, and there’s nothing she loves more than a good rummage through choice dustbins. She is also a thoroughly expert thief and brings home all manner of items from around the neighbourhood, including on one particular night – a shabby old teddy bear covered in spaghetti and sauce, found in the garbage bin at the back of her favourite Italian restaurant.

Outside the apartment where this threesome live is an old child’s wagon where Zephyrina’s latest haul is on show in case the rightful owners come looking. But it’s not just stray gloves and socks, because this is also the home of Second Chances, where toys of all kinds might either find their original ‘lost’ owner, or find an entirely new home altogether.

At night while Dasha and her mother sleep, the toys come to life and have a regular meeting, the Midnight Briefing, run by the smallest toy of all, Pocket. Dasha and her mum found Pocket in the back of a cupboard when they first moved into the apartment. He is what was known as a mascot bear from the First World War. These were commercially made bears but also, as well, the occasional hand/home made one like Pocket, who clearly remembers his ‘becoming’ and being made with love and care by one gentle woman.

When Corporal Z brings home Spaghetti, at first he’s just one more ‘lost toy’ but Pocket immediately suspects that this is one very important bear indeed. And it’s not just the indomitable tiny bear who thinks that. Both a very knowledgeable man from the museum, who curates the historic toy collection, and a particularly nasty collector who is an out-and-out scoundrel also think so. Of course, the museum would obviously be the right choice, but there’s the conniving Vicki who will stop at nothing to steal a highly valuable one-of-a-kind bear.

Young readers will love this story of magical realism, toys who come to life and look out for each other and the two humans they love dearly and to whom they owe their rescues. And, to a one, they will cheer for Pocket and new-found Berwon as well as Dasha and her mother, as they against the nasty collector. Readers will anticipate a happy outcome being engineered for all, by a clever little bear and a feisty cat.

It’s a tender story filled with love and hope and new beginnings that will touch readers’ hearts. Anyone who has read others of Katherine’s endearing books will absolutely fall in love with these characters. Definitely a 5 🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻rating for this tiny (and big) teddy treasure, for around year 3 upwards. It would make a fab read-aloud and if you are doing a UoI on toy of the past or similar, a terrific companion read.