Ivan, the silverback gorilla, has been living in a domain in a mall for almost as long as he can remember. Also in the mall is his friend Stella, an old elephant, who Mack, the owner of the mall, has parade around a circus ring and does tricks. Bob, another friend of Ivan's, is a stray dog who likes to sneak into Ivan's domain. Ivan is somewhat happy with his friends and a small TV in his domain, but Ivan sometimes wishes he could meet other gorillas out in the jungle where he's from. Then, along comes Ruby, a curious, chipper baby elephant who befriends Ivan and Stella, especially. Ruby isn't used to life in a domain and she isn't very happy with it. A tragedy occurs that leaves Ivan in charge of protecting Ruby and helping her to be happy once more. This book was interesting, but overall I didn't like it and I don't recommend it. I don't have problems, normally, with sad books, but I didn't like this one.
The One and Only Ivan
By Katherine Applegate
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 2 - 5 | T | 3.6 | 26263 |
Winner of the Newbery Medal and a #1 New York Times bestseller!
This stirring and unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendships. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated novel is told from the point-of-view of Ivan himself.
Having spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.
The One and Only Ivan was hailed as a best book of the year by Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Amazon, demonstrating it is a true classic in the making. In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan's unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope. An author's note depicts the differences between the fictional story and true events.
Book Reviews (442)
Ivan is a gorilla who has lived in a domain for most of his life. He likes watching TV and drawing. But his question is, are there any other of him? He has never seen a gorilla other than himself. He wonders if he's the only one in the world. He thinks of the TV shows he sees, and about his friends Bob and Stella. Bob is a stray dog, and Stella is an elderly elephant. Then he meets a baby elephant named Ruby. Ivan feels like he has a responsibility now that Stella is getting old. This was a heart warming story, and I recommend it to animal readers. I rate it 5/5.
The One and Only Ivan is about a gorilla named Ivan. He is raised from a young age and was living at a mall. He gets all sad and then an elephant is dropped off and Ivan cares for it. This is a very heartwarming story. You should read it too.
It's a sad but great story about a gorilla who lives in a mall after he was orphaned at a young age. He lives in the mall with a dog and an elephant. Everyday the janitor's daughter leaves him art supplies so he can draw.
its a good book
![Varsha](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 12 12"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Awsome
I love this book I WAS REALLY sad when stella died:(.Bob is propply one of my fav chariter.I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND this book.
me too i was crying
I really liked this book.It was pretty sad at times but overall it was good.I would recommend to my friends.I think kids from 4 grade to 7 grade would like it.It was great and I really liked it.
OMG, this book is sooo good i definitely would recommend.
I think this book is great because it makes you think about how people treat wild animals now a days. It made me feel like I had to do something about. If you want to be inspired to help and do something big, you should read this book. I highly recommend it.