The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan | Biographical Fiction | Katherine Applegate | Newbery Medal; Bluebonnet Nominee | ages 10-15 |

A small circus life in the mall. Ivan, the silverback gorilla, tells his story from beginning to end, and what his life is like with his friends Stella the elephant, Bob the dog, Julia the girl and a fellow artist. Ivan was taken away from his family at a young age, sold, and grew up with a human family. Life was good with Mack, his owner, for a while. Once Ivan got bigger, the circus came to be where Stella did tricks standing on two legs, and Ivan with his artistic skills, and many other acts from other animals. For years, they all live like this, but they desire more than this trapped life. A place where they can see other animals like themselves. Over the years, the circus because a lesser attraction, and less people are coming. In cause of this, Mack decides to buy a baby elephant. Her name is Ruby who was also taken from her family. She is scared once she arrives, and attaches to Stella. Together, the animals share stories and life at the circus. However, Stella is sick and soon dies. Before she dies, she asks Ivan to promise her to keep Ruby safe. Ivan intends on keeping this promise and helping Ruby escape the circus life. With his artistic skills, Ivan manages to send a message to free them from this caged life into a better one. A life Stella described to them where there's place to roam and other animals like them. The zoo. Ivan wants Ruby to be free, but is scared himself when he learns he too will be sent to the zoo. Once at the zoo, Ivan can't believe what he sees. He has a tv like the one at the circus, but this time it's a nature show with gorillas. Later, he realizes that the same gorillas are right before him. This is his new family. After this, he is once again shown another nature show, except this time their elephants. It's Ruby and her new family. They are now free.

A striking story based on real life. Many reviews say it isn't appropriate for children. They have a good point in which the story is real sad and may not work for certain age groups. However, I don't think this book should be discarded because of the sad emotions. It's a great read and it's interesting reading a book from an animal's point of view. Another point that others seem to have a problem with regarding this book is the belief that human beings came to be from gorillas. However, though I agree with that belief point, throughout the book, I did not receive that message at all. Overall, it was a good book that I do recommend to read as a class to learn about animal captivity and develop healthy emotions and recognize good vs. wrong (ethics). It can also introduce the students to other career opportunities that they may not have heard of such as zoologists and people who are dedicated to helping animals. But to not risk any conflict with parents, I recommend talking with them about the book beforehand and the students to determine whether they should read it or not. If you would like to read it with your class, I think it's best appropriate for grade levels fourth to eight grade. With your class you can trace the homes Ivan has lived in: jungle, Mack's house, circus/mall, and the zoo. You can also give your students an interactive notebook to fill in as they read along. They can note any character development, emotions of the animals, a memorable quote or scene relating to that character. To make this a more impactful read, you can set a class field trip to the zoo and learn more about animals and the careers that are related to helping animals such marine biologists and more.