3-5, Level 4
Awards/Honors: Newbery Medal

Independent Reading Level: Grades 4-6 (ages 9-12) Guided Reading Level: T
Awards/Honors: Newbery Medal (2013)
ALA Notable Children's Book
Booklist Editors Choice
Junior Library Guild Selection

Independent Reading Levels: Grades 3-5
Awards: Newberry Medal (2013), ALA Notable Children's Book (2013), and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2013)

Newbery medal, scholastic gold award ( )

Independent Reading Level: 8-12
Awards: Newbery Medal

I was angry. And then I started sobbing. That's all there is to it. ( )

on hold until my youngest and I finish her current book

Such a heartwrenching and poignant book! ( )

2013 Newbery Medal Winner

Based on a true story of a gorilla who lived over two decades as an attraction at an old mall, The One and Only Ivan includes some embellishments on the reality as the title character uses his painting skills to save the baby elephant Ruby, a newcomer to life in a too-small cage.

I liked it that the book depicted Ivan's remembered trauma at his family's deaths in an age-appropriate, but realistic and quite human way. Ivan coped with his kidnapping from the wild and the violence against his family by forgetting about it, whereas his sister Tag died after the kidnapping because she couldn't.

It's a surprisingly deep book for a story about a gorilla in a cage. It reminded me that not thinking about something can be a necessary way to cope, but that remembering who we were at the core before the trauma happened can bring a form of healing. Ivan used to paint with mud, and was even called Mud by his family, then paints to bring awareness to Ruby's plight.

It also made me think about how no matter how hopeless or meaningless one's situation seems, there is always something one can do to make things better. Ivan doesn't despair. He keeps trying to use his skills to help someone else.

The bravery of the janitor in the story is also impressive--helping the animals at the risk of losing his job. It's the kind of normal every day bravery that anybody could aspire to.

Even the villain, Ivan's owner Mack, isn't one-dimensional. He clearly cares about Ivan in a way. He came off to me as someone who had trouble seeing past the money he'd invested in his mini-circus and the mall. His lack of care and sometimes violence toward the animals felt like it stemmed from depression and frustration rather than just being "evil." I was glad that the animals were taken away from him, but it kind of had the feel of the tragedy of someone terribly broken having their kids taken away rather than someone who set out to harm them from the get-go.

That mall was a depressing place all around. I was glad that Ivan in the story and the real Ivan got to live out his days in a zoo that was at least a little bit designed for the animals, even if it wasn't ideal.

The book was easy to finish in one day and packed a punch with its spare prose and short chapters. Because of course, "gorillas don't waste words," and neither does Katherine Applegate. ( )

Independent Reading Level: 5th-8th
Awards: Newbery Medal

Newberry Award winning book about a gorilla named Ivan who lives in the Big Top Mall with other animals. His best friends are Stella the elephant in the next cage and Bob a tiny stray dog who visit’s his cage. Then a baby elephant named Ruby is added to Stella’s cage. Ruby gives Ivan a whole new outlook on their lives. Humans involved are the mall/animal owner, Mack, George, the mall custodian, and George’s young daughter Julia, who is instrumental in what happens in the story. Great book. I can see why it won the prize. ( )

• Fiction
• Newberry Medal Book

Do not recommend - This book is written from the perspective of Ivan, a gorilla who lives among humans. Within the first few pages Ivan laments being “distrustful cousins” of humans, orangutans, etc., meaning there’s nothing special or different about human beings. Complete denial that we are made in the image of God for salvation and glory.

"The One and Only Ivan" is a touching and thought-provoking tale that will inspire readers to think about the treatment of animals and the importance of empathy and compassion.

Going back and reading the first book in the series after you have read the second and third was great. Everything that happens in this book just hits differently after you have read Bob and Ruby's perspectives and it makes it even better than the first time.
Looking forward to reading The One and Only Family when it is released May 7, 2024. ( )

An Animal Tale that makes Kids think

Should animals be kept in cages? Should they be kept in zoos? This book is based on a real "Ivan". It will provide interesting, thoughtful discussion topics for students. ( )

Loved this book! Any animal lover will enjoy it! ( )

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by Patricia Castelao is a Newberry Medal children’s book that will appeal to all ages. We meet a silverback gorilla named Ivan who has lived in a cage in a shopping mall for most of his life. Ivan considers himself and artist and indeed, his crayon pictures are sold for $25.00. He lives with his friends, Stella the Elephant and Bob the dog. While Ivan and Stella are part of the show that the mall puts on three times a day, Bob is a homeless dog who has taken up residency with them.

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla, mostly content with his life but when a young elephant called Ruby is brought into their midst and Stella becomes her protector, Ivan makes a promise to help Ruby get away from the mall and find a better home where she won’t be chained up and has other elephants for company. Ivan eventually comes up with a plan that sees huge changes come about for all the animals.

I absolutely loved this story and Ivan is such a memorable character. The One and Only Ivan is a wonderful book for elementary children and animal lovers of all ages. The story is narrated by Ivan and is in turns funny, sad, loving and uplifting. An absolute children’s classic! ( )

Every year I read this book to my students. They ask to read it, even if they have read it before. Ivan is a gorilla who is part of a road side attraction along with an elephant also there and a stray dog that comes and visits. Ivan is content in his home with his painting and TV until there is a new arrival at the attraction in the form of a baby elephant. With this new arrival, Ivan remembers his life back in the jungle and also see his current life through a whole new set of eyes. It is an extremely touching story that definitely brought tears to my eyes. Great story on friendship and learning to see things from different perspectives. ( )

This was just about the saddest book. The life of captive animals in a mall sounds as depressing as it is. Although the end attempts to create an overall uplifting book, mostly I just wanted to cry. ( )

Things I loved about this book:

-Super duper writing. Wonderful imagery, no unnecessary words, well crafted little prose poems make up each chapter.

-Bob! I loved that dog. I want to read a whole book about Bob. I liked Ivan and Stella and Ruby, too, but Bob was my favorite.

-The message, tactfully delivered, that animals should be treated with respect.

Things I didn't love about this book:

-There's just one thing I didn't totally love about this book. The illustrations. Were they done by computer? Maybe, but that's not the total problem. I think they were too cartoony-cutesy. ( )

AR: 3.6

Wow! This was so good. Definitely 5 stars. There were moments that were so sad but also moments of hope. Although this is considered a middle grade book I feel the concepts are for slightly older children. Moving onto the sequel right away. ( )

This title, The One and Only Ivan, was recommended to me as "my favorite juvenile fiction book". While I tend to shy away from books with animals which talk (never enjoyed them as a kid), I decided to give this one a try based on that high recommendation. Also it and its sequels/companion books The One and Only Bob and The One and Only Ruby are VERY popular with its intended audience.

I went in cold, not knowing anything else. I got past the hurdle of the talking animals: a gorilla (Ivan) and his friends a dog (Bob) and an elephant (Ruby). I wasn't expecting the book to be so ... sad! Heartbreakingly sad, in fact. Especially with the story being told from Ivan's point of view. The camaraderie between Ivan, Bob and Ruby is beautiful though. ( )

A wonderful and heart breaking chapter book for upper elementary students as well as middle schoolers (I guess for any chapter book readers!) Ivan is a silverback gorilla who is stuck at an exhibit in the mall. He has Bob, a dog who is a mutt who likes to sleep on Ivan's belly, and Stella, an elephant. Eventually, Stella has to go, but not before a new baby Elephant, Ruby comes along. Ivan promises he'll keep Ruby safe and get her out of there. Ivan is a talented artist and uses his work to interact with the janitors daughter. Ivan doesn't know how he'll help Ruby, he just knows he has to. This book really connects with it's readers and I love how easy it is to read. The white space on the pages is great, especially for young readers. The chapters are short as well. This is a great option for older readers, but would work great as a read aloud in younger grade levels. ( )