I loved how Ivan looked tough, but inside he was caring and thoughtful. Also, I enjoyed reading about his interest in art and capturing colors. This book has inspired me about art.
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: Thorndike Press Large Print
ISBN-13: 9781432864033
ISBN-10: 1432864033
Published on 3/13/2019
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 340
Book Reviews (448)
This story was told by Ivan, the gorilla, who lived all his life in a shopping mall. He watched tv and had a few friends. One day Ruby, a little elephant, came to the mall and told him all about what life was like in the real world and Ivan got to think about his friends in a different way. This was a very good book to think about what life is like for an animal in a cage getting looked at everyday by humans.
Even though the chapters are short, they pack a punch. This book is filled with humor but deals with a serious issue. Ivan is a gorilla that is kept in a mall. He has two friends, Stella the elderly elephant and Bob the stray dog. When Stella passes away, Ivan promises to make sure Ruby, a baby elephant that is brought to the mall, those not get treated like the other circus animals. I highly recommend this book to those who like humor.
It was strange reading this at first since it is from the gorillas point of view. It took me a little while to get used to this. But once I did I really loved it. If you're an animal lover you should read this book.
This book was okay. It's about Ivan living in the mall zoo and he's lonely (wouldn't you be?). It's cramped in his cage and he doesn't have any friends. All of that changes when an elderly elephant named Stella comes in the mall zoo. They change each others life. I didn't really like it, but it was cute.
The One And Only Ivan, let's do this. Honestly, I thought this novel was for an audience younger than myself. But when I started reading this, I was shocked. I loved how Ivan had a personality of his own. I adored how Ivan made friends of his own. This story makes your heart melt for this gorilla. ( Wow I never thought I'd say that in my life). A four star rating, I liked it. And plus one whole star doesn't make that much of a difference.
This book is OK. I like the way they write it. It is not such a good book, because... it just wasn't for me. I like that the janitor's daughter and Ivan had a connection. So yeah! Read this for a heartfelt book.
If you were a gorilla who lost you're twin sister and were adopted by humans until you grew too old and were sent to a small “zoo” in a mall, how would you feel. This is Ivan the gorilla’s life story. Ivan was once a gorilla who lived in the wild and had a family. This all changed when humans came and killed everyone in his troop except for him and his sister Tag. They were placed in a box and shipped somewhere else. While they were being moved, Ivan’s sister dies. Ivan meets Stella, and they become good friends. Eventually a new elephant comes and Stella dies. The new elephant’s name is Ruby. Before Stella dies, Ivan makes a promise to give Ruby a better life. Following that, Ivan tries many things to get Ruby a place in a zoo. In the end, he succeeds and also earns himself a zoo life with other gorillas. The book itself was written as if it was a poem, with short sentences that are shown as stanzas.
The One and Only Ivan is a long, sad , and memorable story about a gorilla named Ivan and how he interacts with people and other animals in the mall where he lives. I definitely recommend this book.
This is an amazing story, probably my favorite. This book is about a gorilla named Ivan he meets a baby elephant named Ruby. Ivan decides that he wants to make Rubys life better. Overall this book is amazing and I would recommend it to anyone.