Ivan is an easy going gorilla. Living in a shopping mall, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all. Instead Ivan thinks about the TV shows he has seen, his friends Stella and Bob and Painting. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home-and his own art-through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it is up to Ivan to make it change for the better. I like this story because it is about animal rights and finding a better home for Ivan and his friends. This story is sad yet poignant and amusing.
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.
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN-13: 9780061992254
ISBN-10: 0061992259
Published on 1/17/2012
Binding: Hardcover
Number of pages: 320
Book Reviews (442)
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I love this book, I love how it describes the emotions deeply and the illustrations are cute even though they are in black and white. But I love it even more because it is a true story and it doesn't have any violence and it is kid-appropriate !!! Thank you Katherine Applegate for making this wonderful book for us children!!
Me and my class are reading The One and Only Ivan, we only have a couple of chapters left on it! I SO love this book!
it is a good book a girl named stella died and its sad.
Fun fact the one and only Ivan is based in a true story!!
I loved the book it was very very very great good not have Been better the only thing was it really made me sad lol 😂 but overall I recommend the book I am literally obsessed with the book. Genre: Family
I loved this book. It is about a gorilla named Ivan. Everyone thinks he’s a huge flesh-eating, dangerous wild animal, but he’s really a nice gorilla who likes to paint. I really recommend this book to everyone because it is SO good! I hope you like it. It’s a book you don’t want to miss!
Ivan’s story is so inspiring. I highly suggest this book, because it inspires me. I have the strength to do anything, and YOU do too!
Thanks for telling that, you inspired me
This book was amazing! I really loved it and Ivan's story is incredible. I highly recommend
I love animals and I love Ivans story. I recommend this book to all animal lovers