The One and Only Ivan (The One and Only Ivan, #1)

by Katherine Applegate

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

It’s not so bad, I wanted to tell the little boy. With enough time, you can get used to almost anything.

Gorillas are not complainers. We’re dreamers, poets, philosophers, nap takers.

“Memories are precious,” Stella adds. “They help tell us who we are.

“A good zoo,” Stella says, “is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans who don’t hurt.” She pauses, considering her words. “A good zoo is how humans make amends.”

“I always tell the truth,” Stella replies. “Although I sometimes confuse the facts.”

“Humans. Rats have bigger hearts. Roaches have kinder souls. Flies have—”

Growing up gorilla is just like any other kind of growing up. You make mistakes. You play. You learn. You do it all over again.