TITLE: The One and Only Ivan
AUTHOR: Katherine Applegate
ILLUSTRATOR: Patricia Castelao
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
COPYRIGHT: 2012
About the book:
Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, 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 TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.
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’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
My thoughts:
My son and I read this book together and both enjoyed it. It is a sweet story of a gorilla who has lived in a mall for many years. It is written from the gorilla's perspective which made it interesting to imagine his thoughts. It is divided into short segments, all differing in length, and seem more like journal entries I thought. This is a story of friendship between animals, helping each other, and keeping your word.
My son and I read this book together and both enjoyed it. It is a sweet story of a gorilla who has lived in a mall for many years. It is written from the gorilla's perspective which made it interesting to imagine his thoughts. It is divided into short segments, all differing in length, and seem more like journal entries I thought. This is a story of friendship between animals, helping each other, and keeping your word.
This is on the Texas Bluebonnet List.
