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The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate

4.27 · Rating details · 109,446 ratings · 12,508 reviews

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. ...more

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Kindle Edition, 325 pages

Published January 17th 2012 by HarperCollins

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· 109,446 ratings · 12,508 reviews

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Nov 06, 2013 Rick Riordan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I've had The One and Only Ivan on my 'to be read' list for several months, and I'm so glad I read it! A fabulous book for elementary and middle grades (and older), this is probably my favorite animal story since Charlotte's Web -- and I don't make that comparison lightly. Like E.B. White's classic, it is by turns tender, funny, sad and uplifting. It's a quick read -- I'm a slow reader, and I got through it in one day. Ivan the gorilla narrates, and he is a very fine fellow indeed. I loved it. Mo ...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Matt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

A very touching story that will rip out your heart, stomp on it, then pick it back up and cradle it. Cause that's what Silverbacks do.

I appreciate all the things KA managed to work into this book - primarily, our misunderstanding of animals (and mistreat), while showing that we aren't all bad. Also Stella's character was awesome. I'LL MISS YOU STELLAPHANT.

Anyways, READ IT.

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Mar 07, 2019 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, childrens, animals, paperback, kindle-own

OMG!! I finally read this book because of a book challenge and Omg!! This book is fiction but it is based on a real "IVAN". One of the sad things besides Ivan’s life is that I probably already knew all about this but forget things too easy now.

One of the OMG moments is that Ivan was at Zoo Atlanta when I went there years ago!! I need to see if I can find my old pictures of him! I can’t believe I met the Ivan from the book!!

Here is a link telling about Ivan and his life and his death at 50 year ...more

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Feb 18, 2017 Mischenko rated it really liked it

Please visit my blog www.readrantrockandroll.com to see this review and learn more about Ivan the gorilla.

I really enjoyed this fictional story of Ivan the gorilla. The story made me think of the real Ivan and his life. What really went on in his head during those 27 years of being locked up at that dept. store?

The story is cute and great for all ages. I'd recommend reading the true story about Ivan and his life before reading this fictional one.

4****

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Jan 30, 2017 Michelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, for-kids-and-kidults

In a book called “The One and Only Ivan”, it makes sense that Ivan is at the heart of the story. Not only does his life take center stage, but he's also our one and only narrator. This book is all Ivan, all the time! In case you're having second thoughts about spending time in an ape's brain, worry not. Ivan is as articulate a narrator as they come, and a bit of a poet to boot! He recounts his life with honesty, humility, and major smarts.

A fun fact: there really was a gorilla named Ivan who li In a book called “The One and Only Ivan”, it makes sense that Ivan is at the heart of the story. Not only does his life take center stage, but he's also our one and only narrator. This book is all Ivan, all the time! In case you're having second thoughts about spending time in an ape's brain, worry not. Ivan is as articulate a narrator as they come, and a bit of a poet to boot! He recounts his life with honesty, humility, and major smarts.

A fun fact: there really was a gorilla named Ivan who lived in a mall for a long time after being captured. At a certain point, he actually did move to the zoo where he spent the rest of his days. Real life Ivan’s story matches up with our Ivan’s story, but Katherine Applegate wove her magic in telling the story in the first gorilla (I just can’t help it!) POV and personified Ivan with an entire range of human thoughts, feelings and emotions.

In the entirety of the book, Ivan is always on display but it's not a one-way street. Ivan watches all the people watching him, and his observations about humans are among my greatest delights in the book. It's a lonely life, but he does have a few loyal friends, including a highly opinionated dog, an aging elephant and, eventually, a baby elephant named Ruby who sets his life on an entirely new course.
It is clear that Applegate has written the book for a younger audience, but I think even adults would appreciate it. Some of the growing up elements in it, particularly in Ruby and Ivan's journeys, are appealing because they explore issues of youth, maturity, and overcoming our past, which is something each and every one of us has to do in some way, at some point. The book also takes a good hard look at the human practice of capturing wild animals, digging deep into what this means for, well, the animals. What emerges is a clear sense that animals matter--you know, just like we do! “The One and Only Ivan” doesn't come right out and say that animals can't ever have happy lives in captivity. What it does say though, is that how we treat the animals we keep in captivity really matters. They might not be people, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve comfort and consideration. I bet everyone who has spent time with Ivan strongly agrees.

I couldn’t shower enough accolades for this book. I have already considered it a classic, to be enjoyed by all generations. Who can resist Ivan’s charms? The best part is, he is extraordinary just by being himself--The One and Only Ivan! ...more

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May 16, 2018 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Oh my fricken bananas...
I knew ‘nothing’ about this book ...[ a children’s book]...
based on a true story....
Only that it was suggested I read it. Thank you Mischenko and Lisa

I not only read this wonderful children’s book... but the facts about the true story.
Damn... if this story didn’t make me cry!!
Sometimes, life just pisses me off ... the selfish stupid insane things they do!
My anger and sadness buttons were pushed from the true story.

The children’s book is written with dignity-moral cons ...more

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Dec 26, 2015 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-young-readers, animals, fiction, 21th-century

The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate
The One and Only Ivan is a children's novel written by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by Patricia Castelao. The book is about a silverback gorilla named Ivan who lives in a cage at a mall. The novel is written in first person from the point of view of Ivan, a silverback gorilla. The story is placed at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Ivan, the silverback gorilla, has lived in captivity at the Big Top Mall for 9,855 days by his own tally. He The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate
The One and Only Ivan is a children's novel written by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by Patricia Castelao. The book is about a silverback gorilla named Ivan who lives in a cage at a mall. The novel is written in first person from the point of view of Ivan, a silverback gorilla. The story is placed at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Ivan, the silverback gorilla, has lived in captivity at the Big Top Mall for 9,855 days by his own tally. He lives in his domain, and is generally content with his life. He watches television, eats bananas and makes artwork that is sold by the owner. Along with Ivan, Stella the elephant and Bob a stray dog, live at the mall. Stella is an older elephant who has a chronic injury in one leg and regularly performs in the daily shows. Unlike Ivan, Stella has a long memory, and can remember living other places, like the circus where she was taught many of her tricks. However, Stella would like to live at a zoo, because they have much wider spaces for their domains. Stella believes that zoos are how humans make amends. ...
عنوانها: ایوان بی همتای قهرمان؛ ایوان منحصر به فرد؛ یکی و آن هم ایوان؛ نویسنده: کاترین اپل گیت؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و هفتم ماه دسامبر سال 2015 میلادی
عنوان: ایوان بی همتای قهرمان؛ نویسنده: کاترین اپل گیت؛ تصویرگر: پاتریشیا کاستلائو؛ مترجم: شهره نورصالحی؛ تهران، پیدایش، 1392؛ در 348 ص؛ شابک: 9786002961242؛ موضوع: داستانهای کودکان از نویسندگان انگلیسی - سده 21 م
عنوان: ایوان منحصر به فرد؛ نویسنده: کاترین اپل گیت؛ تصویرگر: پاتریشیا کاستلائو؛ مترجم: کیوان عبیدی آشتیانی؛ تهران، افق، 1392؛ در 246 ص؛ شابک: 9789643699833؛
فانتزی شگفت‌ انگیز و تلخ اپلگیت «یکی و آن هم ایوان»؛ کتابی ست، در زمینه ی ادبیات کودک و نوجوان، نوشته ی: کاترین اپلگیت، و مصور سازی شده، توسط: پاتریشیا کاستلو، داستان درباره ی گوریلی ست، که در یک فروشگاه، و در اصل در یک مرکز خرید بزرگ، در قفس زندگی می‌کند، و زندگی اش، پس از آشنا شدن با یک بچه فیل، دیگر می‌شود. اپلگیت، با الهام از مقاله ی یک روزنامه ی مربوط به بیست سال پیش از تاریخ نگارش این قصه، که درباره ی زندگی واقعی گوریلی به نام «ایوان» در یک فروشگاه بود، و سرانجام به باغ وحش سپرده شد، کتابش را نوشته است. ا. شربیانی ...more

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Dec 19, 2015 Whitney Atkinson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2015, unhauled

This book is so real. It's almost too deep for a children's book. Even though it's about talking animals and Ivan's complexity of thought could be a little misleading, this book touches on so many great themes both superficial toward children, but also in general about humanity, if you're mature enough to understand it. This book was cute, sad, and something very new to me. I adored it and it is such a fast read that I highly recommend it!

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Nov 08, 2011 Paul Hankins rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: can-t-miss-read-aloud, illustrated-text, ladders-to-lynne-kelly-s-chained, middle-grade-touching, mr-hankins-says-don-t-miss, ladders-to-tuesdays-with-morrie, middle-grade-memorable-writing, middle-grade-fiction, middle-grade-touching-tender, middle-grade-discussion-ready

Mr. Hankins is putting his readers on THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN for the beginning of 2012's reading season.

Think of all of the good stuff you loved about THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN and TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE and, instead of sitting with Enzo in a cozy living room watching the discovery channel or with Morrie in a study littered with books and notes, you'll be sitting in a cage with Ivan, "the Ape at Exit 8," a thoughtful gorilla tasked with one of the most difficult callings ever. . .caring for a ...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Sherry Philippus rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: middle and elementary students

Recommended to Sherry by: Bluebonnet selection

Shelves: new-children-s, 5-star-children-s-fiction

Just when I think I'm too old, too mature, too hard-hearted, too sophisticated, too busy, or too "something" to allow a children's book to make me cry, along comes a story like this one.

Don't have enough of the right words to describe it...I definitely haven't mastered the craft of writing the way Ms. Applegate has. And the way she does it, with the sparest of prose, is impressive.

To me, "good" writing makes the reader view something with a fresh perspective, as if (s)he has never, ever experie ...more

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Feb 03, 2016 Brina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kids

I have not read a middle grade children's book in a long time, and I am glad I picked up Ivan for my kids. Ivan is the fictionalized tale of Ivan the lowland gorilla who lived in wretched conditions in a shopping mall for 27 years and then later moved to the Atlanta zoo. Kristina Applegate does a wonderful job giving Ivan and his friends their inner voices as they contemplate life in captivity and what it means to be a good or a bad human. I think this book is appropriate for elementary aged chi ...more

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Oct 07, 2016 *TANYA* rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-fav, own-it

A re-read and yup it’s still a Wow!!! What a wonderful story!!! I picked this out of the blue I didn't realize it was a "kids" book but it didn't feel like it. I loved it!!! This book is for everyone.

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Jan 03, 2014 Carmen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Kids; Parents

Shelves: children, traditionally-published, american-author, published2012, fiction, she-says, 2018-book-lover-s-desk-calendar

"Everyone has parents," Bob explains. "It's unavoidable."

I started out this review with a funny quote - but this is NOT a funny book. It's one of those emotionally manipulative sad books about animals. A seven-year-old girl personally recommended this to me. Little kids LOVE emotionally manipulative sad books about animals. Charlotte's Web, Black Beauty, Old Yeller, Shiloh, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Cat Who Went to Heaven etc. etc. You can add this book to the list.

This is based (loosely) on ...more

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Jan 03, 2019 [Shai] Bibliophage rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, books-read-2019, favorites

I came across this when I was checking out last year about the upcoming Disney movies. Based on the synopsis, it was based on the award-winning children's book written by Katherine Applegate and famous actors will be the voice of the characters in the story. I scheduled to read this on the very first day of 2019 and I was really delighted that I made this my first read of the year.

I didn't expect that this was quite good and hopefully the movie adaptation will be as great just like the book. I ...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Trudi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, newbery, pass-the-kleenex, my-inner-child

I like colorful tales with black beginnings and stormy middles and cloudless blue-sky endings. But any story will do. ~The One and Only Ivan

::sniff:: What's that in my eye, this watery, salty substance? Crying? No. I'm not crying. I'm too old and cynical to cry. My tear ducts have long dried up. Really.

::sniff::

Oh for godsake, will someone hand me a tissue!

This is a sweet, adorable story that will tug at your heart-strings in the most uplifting way. It is a beautiful, tender tale of friendship, ...more

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May 17, 2018 Calista rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: award-newberry, award-various, favorite, genre-fantasy, genre-drama-tragedy, nature, want-to-own, wordsmith, award-dorothy-canfield-fisher, bage-middle-grade

Touching. This is about possibility and about the will. Having the will to help someone else, going into yourself and letting your intuition and higher self find a way to keep a promise and help someone that is helpless. Such big themes in this story and such big ideas. I think this could be a book a spiritual group does a study on. Great stuff in this book.

Ivan is a silverback gorilla that is held in a side show with only a few animals. His best friend is a dog, Bob, and an elephant Stella. A y Touching. This is about possibility and about the will. Having the will to help someone else, going into yourself and letting your intuition and higher self find a way to keep a promise and help someone that is helpless. Such big themes in this story and such big ideas. I think this could be a book a spiritual group does a study on. Great stuff in this book.

Ivan is a silverback gorilla that is held in a side show with only a few animals. His best friend is a dog, Bob, and an elephant Stella. A young elephant, Ruby, is brought into the mix. Stella wants to save the pain of captivity for Ruby and wants to send her to the Zoo.

Also, Ivan is an artist and he enjoys painting, eating the paint and paper and painting some more. Art is a spiritual connection in this story. Art gives Ivan a voice and he also helps keep the place afloat as the owner sells his paintings.

What I love about the story is Ivan's voice. It is totally believable that this is the voice and thought of a gorilla. It's spot on perfection. Stella's voice is great and Bob is hilarious. I love Bob. I thought that someone was actually reading sign language from a gorilla and relating the story for us at first it was so convincing. I have seen a special on TV where they taught a gorilla sign language and the communication was amazing. They would ask the gorilla complex questions that required reasoning and the gorilla gave some great and insightful answer. They told her about global warming and the gorilla was very sad about this and couldn't understand why people would continue to hurt the world. It was great and it reminded me of Ivan's voice.

There is pain and the animals tell their stories of being afraid and captured. It's about the lose of freedom and hope. There is death and there is wonder in this story.

This is the reason I love middle grade so much. It can stand up to any Young adult or adult work of fiction. It is fantastic and so well done. It is straight forward and simple and it has the strong guiding voice of Katherine Applegate. She is a wonder and I can't wait to read more of her works. ...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Stella Chen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Stella by: Michael Grant

Edit: My friend Matt recently wrote a review for this book and it's shorter and much nicer than mine so you should read his instead of mine. Matt's review is here.

So my childhood came for a visit last weekend. By that, I mean this book came into my life last weekend. Big fonts and equally majestic illustrations reminded me of being a kid again. Yet, this book goes beyond a children's book. Everyone should read it because it conveys a story many other books lack.

I, of course, expected nothing les ...more

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Oct 21, 2015 Shannon (leaninglights) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-read-favorites

My goodness! This book is gorgeous and so inspirational! It's based on a true story and I just got all choked up at the end! Love this sweet story <3

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Apr 26, 2014 Lindsey Rey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, middle-grade

This was the absolute CUTEST!!!!!

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Feb 17, 2013 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Absolutely adorable, wise, sad and so many other adjectives all meaning very good. The friendships and inner voices of these animals were amazing. I think that some of the children would not understand but reading this as an adult they show such irony and wisdom. Hoping to read this to my grandchildren when they come in a couple of weeks.

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Jun 26, 2016 Kelli rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, audio

This award-winning middle grade story is based in truth. The structure is different with it's very short chapters/thoughts each presented with a heading/title. This fascinating approach lends a believable voice to our wise gorilla narrator, who speaks simply but understands deeply. The structure, however, did not make for a great listening experience. Long pauses between each "chapter" coupled with the many "chapter titles" made for an odd and disjointed listening experience. Though the reader v ...more

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Nov 07, 2018 Connor rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens

This is a great book about wild animals being forced to live in bad conditions by ignorant humans. Ivan is based on a real Gorilla, and the fictional story Applegate wove pulled a bit on my heartstrings. I love Stella. It's a very, very sweet story. I can definitely see why people love this one so much!

I borrowed the audiobook from my library using an app, but then I found out there was illustrastions and felt like I was missing out. There are some prime examples if you google for them though, ...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Literary Ames {Against GR Censorship} rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone aged 12+

Recommended to Literary Ames {Against GR Censorship} by: Shannon

Shelves: dtb, childrens, i-heart-the-cover-art, read-in-2012, stand-alone, bought-in-2012, favourites, m-read, fantasy

Chicken soup for the soul. The Grinch himself would be hard-pressed not to empathise with Ivan's story. With a gorgeous cover and a heartbreaking memoir of a lonely, caged gorilla living among other mistreated "circus" animals, delivered via emotionally-charged and insightful writing, Ms. Applegate forced tears from this stoic, 25-year-old pessimist.

'hello

I am Ivan. I am a gorilla.

It's not as easy as it looks.

People call me the Freeway Gorilla. The Ape at Exit 8. The One and Only Ivan, Mighty S

'hello

I am Ivan. I am a gorilla.

It's not as easy as it looks.

People call me the Freeway Gorilla. The Ape at Exit 8. The One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback.

The names are mine, but they're not me. I am Ivan, just Ivan, only Ivan.

Humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot.'

By reading The One and Only Ivan we walk a few miles in Ivan's shoes, so to speak. His wistful words touch your heart. His friend, Stella the elephant, twists your soul with her story and sentiments. Ruby, the baby elephant, you're desperate to save from Stella's fate. My arms ached with wanting to hug these (obviously wild and dangerous) creatures.

'Every night, when the stores close and the moon washes the world with milky light, Stella and I talk.

We don't have much in common, but we have enough. We are huge and alone, and we both love yogurt raisins.

Sometimes Stella tells stories of her childhood, of leafy canopies hidden by mist and the busy songs of flowing water. Unlike me, she recalls every detail of her past.'

The graceful language is simple and concise yet colourfully illuminating. No words are wasted. The author implies rather than tells, allowing readers to draw our own conclusions. The lovely illustrations are sparse but functional. I knew early on this would be a five star re-read. Ivan's philisophical observations, his acceptance of his circumstances, his stubborn desire to never remember his wild and free childhood before he was captured, his all-consuming, engrossing characterisation, and the way he changes to become the silverback he's always wanted to be, like his father, when he meets Ruby -make this a page-turner.

'I am never angry.

Anger is precious. A silverback uses anger to maintain order and warn his troop of danger. When my father beat his chest, it was to say, Beware, listen, I am in charge. I am angry to protect you, because that is what I was born to do.

Here in my domain, there is no one to protect.'

At page 72, my heart clenched and my eyes misted over with the introduction of baby Ruby, her distress and Stella's comfort...I'm tearing up just thinking about it. Ruby's a curious innocent you want to protect, and Ivan and Stella do their best.

This story is loosely based on a real gorilla called Ivan, and other elements of it are real too. I've come away thinking the human race are scum that should be exterminated to allow all animals to live natural, peaceful lives without fear of human murderers and torturers. Me, the meat-eating non-pacifist. I suddenly feel the need to contribute to an animal welfare charity. That's probably the message working its magic on me.

I highly recommend this captivating book to everyone over the age of 12, because the beginning is full of the depressing reality of cruelty to animals despite the sweet and somewhat predictable happy-ever-after ending. Even those with hearts made of ice can't fail to melt whilst reading this.

***A special thank you to Shannon and her status updates which inspired me to read this.***

...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Betsy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

All right, the topic is Famous Ape Books of Children's Literature. And . . . go. Care to name any? Well there's Curious George, of course (often mistakenly called a monkey in spite of his lack of tail). He's the most famous but after that it gets harder. Eva by Peter Dickinson might count (also a chimp). Or a book like Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby (chimp). Gorillas appear to be much rarer, which is funny when you consider it. I would think an animal as big and impressive as a gorilla would be a ...more

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Feb 06, 2016 Aditi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: harper-collins, friends, fantasy, humor, ya, my-reviews

“Human can surprise you sometimes. An unpredictable species, Homo sapiens”

----Katherine Applegate

Katherine Applegate, a multiple award-winning American author, has penned a deeply moving tale about an adult gorilla living inside a glass cage in a mall in America, in her book, The One and Only Ivan. Inspired from real-life events, the author pens a heart-breaking yet thoroughly entertaining story about a gorilla and his friends and his mission to find freedom, and mind it, this book is not on ...more

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May 23, 2016 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I wanted to read a short and sweet story today. Some fluff. What I didn't realize was that this book isn't fluff. It's heartbreaking and cruel and true and one of the most important stories for children (and adults) I've ever read.

The story is about Ivan, a silverback gorilla who lives in a mall. The book is based on a real gorilla who was locked up in a cage of a Washington mall for 27 years before public awareness finally grew and people demanded that he be brought to a zoo (in Atlanta) at lea I wanted to read a short and sweet story today. Some fluff. What I didn't realize was that this book isn't fluff. It's heartbreaking and cruel and true and one of the most important stories for children (and adults) I've ever read.

The story is about Ivan, a silverback gorilla who lives in a mall. The book is based on a real gorilla who was locked up in a cage of a Washington mall for 27 years before public awareness finally grew and people demanded that he be brought to a zoo (in Atlanta) at least.
So this story is about Ivan and a few other animals who live in a mall and how they spend their day-to-day lives. It's also about what captivity means to animals. We get the comparison to zoos (who still are far from perfect but definitely better) and circus and get a glimpse at how animals usually are captured.

Sure, this is not an easy read, especially not for children, but that is exactly why it is so important. It's an awful business and what people do to animals just for the fun of it makes me sick to my stomach. Apparently, the author feels the same which is why she wrote this book. As difficult as this topic might be, I think it is paramount to teach children that captivity is never OK, but that we have to get rid of the bigger evils (malls, circus) first, before moving on to the smaller ones (zoos) until all animals will finally live where they belong - in the wild. Therefore, as heartbreaking as it was, I was glad that (view spoiler)

In the wake of what happened to the poor gorilla in Cincinnati Zoo when a baby fell into the enclosure, one story within this book strikes especially hard. First, I don't belief for a second that any animal is dumb. Secondly, I firmly believe that animals have great emotional intelligence and usually don't harm babies of any kind. It's how/why a tigress raised piglets for example. Therefore, I don't think the baby in Cincinnati was ever in real danger - if the adults around the enclose had kept their mouths shut instead of panicking, the gorilla would have never gotten nervous in the first place and in my opinion he simply wanted to protect the baby. But they had to shoot him. That's humans for you.

Anyway, this book is a fantastic way to educate your children about animals, their intelligence and the great crime that is captivity and human arrogance/stupidity when it comes to animal rights, and it is no surprise that this book won a John Newberry Medal. ...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Kate rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Based on a true story, THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN is the tale of a silverback gorilla who's forgotten how to be a gorilla in many ways. Raised in a house with people who fed him ice cream cones and took him to baseball games, Ivan grows rambunctious and ends up creating finger paintings as one of the star attractions in a mall circus. When Ruby, a baby elephant arrives, Ivan promises to save her from a lifetime chained in a tiny cage. To do so, he needs to reclaim his title as silverback, the leader ...more

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Jul 04, 2015 Kristen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, favorite-reads-of-2015

5/5 stars

The Skinny:

Ivan, a lonely silverback gorilla, has lived in the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade for 27 years. Ivan’s only friends are an elephant named Stella, A small dog named Bob, and a human girl named Julie. Ivan is content in his domain (as he calls it), because he does not really know any differently. One day, a new animal arrives at the struggling Big Top Mall. Ruby, a baby elephant awakens something within Ivan. Suddenly his domain doesn’t seem so warm anymore; now it seems ...more

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Apr 09, 2019 Lauren Lanzilotta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Based on an unfortunately true story- Ivan the gorilla has been contained and displayed at a shopping mall for around 27 years of his life, alone in a concrete room to be looked at by shoppers. Forced to perform and paint pictures for profit.

I’ll leave a video link here if you’d like to learn about Ivan’s real life story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYYL2...

Katherine Applegate has masterfully demonstrated Ivan’s story in a book for middle grade students. I think it’s very important for kids t ...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Steven Stickler rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My, what a marvelous book. Absolutely beautiful. I hesitate to review it. I’d rather just say this: Read it. Soon. Preferably today. Don’t waste your time on the rest of this review when you could be reading the book.

Okay, now that you’ve read the book, here’s my take on things: It is not exactly a secret that this book is one of the most celebrated of the year. For me, that is often a sign to stay away. What sort of book could live up to such critical acclaim? Who needs the disappointment?

Thos My, what a marvelous book. Absolutely beautiful. I hesitate to review it. I’d rather just say this: Read it. Soon. Preferably today. Don’t waste your time on the rest of this review when you could be reading the book.

Okay, now that you’ve read the book, here’s my take on things: It is not exactly a secret that this book is one of the most celebrated of the year. For me, that is often a sign to stay away. What sort of book could live up to such critical acclaim? Who needs the disappointment?

Those who, like me, are inclined to such thoughts would do well to read the first few pages. I don’t care how old a person is, if she can read a line like the following and then stop never to return, she is a stronger person than I: “Humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot.”

What makes this book is the voice. Told from the perspective of a silver backed gorilla named Ivan, it is written in what can only be called first-gorilla narration. It certainly isn’t first-person, as Applegate avoids better than any example I can think of the classic pitfall of those who write from the perspective of animals: the tendency to humanize the voice, the thoughts, the mentality, and the observations of animals. From the start, we know this isn’t a human voice. It is too unique, too insightful, too matter-of-fact. As such, the writing packs far more punch that a humanized voice could achieve, and we are treated to a concise and poetic narration that accomplishes more storytelling, wit, and emotional impact with fewer words than seems humanly possible. Ivan’s observations, though short, are never simplistic; they are insightful, sharp, and at times devastatingly complex. The voice, to me, is the key to both the beauty and the underlying sadness of this book.

It is true that the plot is fairly straightforward, and it is unfortunate that a short summary makes it sound formulaic. Perhaps it is. But the beauty of the book lies in Applegate’s skillful and nuanced treatment of characters and events as well as the skill with which she harnesses Ivan’s unique voice.

We learn most of what we need to know about our narrator in the first few pages of the book. Ivan (A.K.A. The One and Only Ivan) serves as the main attraction at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, a place that serves cotton candy, charges folks to watch animals perform tricks, and sells ashtrays made of gorilla hands in the gift shop. This does not seem a happy life, and Ivan’s own description of his life betrays an undercurrent of sadness: “Some animals live privately, unwatched, but that is not my life. My life is flashing lights and pointing fingers and uninvited visitors.”

Nevertheless, Ivan seems to accept the circumstances of his life with sad resignation. His matter-of-fact observations lend a deep sense of pathos to the narrative as it is impossible to see in him a desire or hope to change things. He has, we are told, reached a point of acceptance (though clearly not happiness). Ivan describes it this way: “I think about what is, not what could be. I’ve learned not to get my hopes up.”

None of this, it must be emphasized, is treated with even a hint of melodrama. Yes, Ivan is unflinching in his descriptions of his life, never more so than when he describes the walls of his domain, where, “The glass says you are this and we are that and that is how it will always be.” But he is never melodramatic.

Ivan’s mindset changes when a young elephant named Ruby is brought to the Big Top Mall to (the owner hopes) improve attendance. Ruby’s initiation into the life of a performer, combined with an important event that does not surprise but nevertheless saddens the reader, triggers memories in Ivan of his early life in the wild and of the trauma of his capture. These memories together with a promise he has made to protect Ruby seem to jolt Ivan into action. He begins to call his domain what it really is: a cage.

Using his skill and creativity as an artist, Ivan constructs a plan to free Ruby from the confines and loneliness of the Big Top Mall and land her in the only place he sees as a viable option: a zoo. Lest we think Ivan has narrow vision, he makes clear that he knows this is not an ideal option or even a great option, simply a practical one that is better than the Big Top Mall: “It is not a perfect place…A perfect place would not need walls. But it’s the place I need.”

I will not spoil the ending for those yet to read this marvelous book. But I will say this: given the sadness of his life, the narrowness of his options, the isolation he feels as he recognizes that he has been ripped from his proper world and placed in one that has no real place for him, it would be a disappointment if Applegate then presented us with an unambiguously happy ending for Ivan. She doesn’t disappoint, and the strength of this book throughout is her deft handling of complexity. That she successfully manages it through the voice of a gorilla should win Applegate some sort of prize. At the very least, she has succeeded in creating something that will captivate readers for years to come.
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About Katherine Applegate

Katherine Applegate

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Katherine Applegate is the author of The One and Only Ivan, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal. Her novel Crenshaw spent over twenty weeks on the New York Times children's bestseller list, and her first middle-grade stand-alone novel, the award-winning Home of the Brave, continues to be included on state reading lists, summer reading lists, and class reading lists.

Katherine has written three picture ...more