Choice Book 5 The One and Only Ivan

[Briana]

Ivan is a silverback gorilla that is living in a mall that has seen better days. He was once the main attraction to this mall off the I-94, but now people seem to be less interested in seeing him. Ivan narrates this story of self-discovery, and perseverance. He is confined to his domain, but his two friends, Bob and Stella help him though his days at the mall. Bob is a very small dog that comes from very unfortunate past, and Stella is an elephant that the owner of the mall, Mack bought from a circus. Stella was being sold very inexpensive because she has a foot that will not heal properly. Stella preforms circus acts to entertain the humans and Ivan, he is an artist. Ivan’s drawings can go for 25 dollars in the gift shop, with a frame. Everything changes for these friends when an box with a baby elephant is dropped off.
This is an amazing story and the whole time I was reading it I thought, how can I read this to a child or how can I get them to read this book. The novel was a very, very quick read for being over three hundred pages and the development of the story and the characters was amazing to read. It was a very touching story to read and I feel that the lessons of empathy and compassion presented in this novel are something that humanity can relate to at any stage in their life. I certainly felt for the characters and rooted for them. I found that this would be a great story to read with children in third grade because there is a depth to the ideas presented throughout the novel that could help students become aware of the impact that they can have on the world.
The One and Only Ivan is a novel that you should read if you ever find yourself missing something to cheer for and it shows the reader the power of caring about someone other than yourself. I found it interesting that I had such a close to my heart reaction to a story about someone that was not human. I really loved it though when I thought that I would be indifferent. I think that this book is bigger than the message to treat animals with dignity and disrespect, but I think I have to let it sit with me for a while before I can figure what that message is. I think that kids will love the characters in this book and they will be able to visualize the story in their own particular way. I also think that having the few pictures that are presented in the book really aid the reader in understanding the novel and the story. This will also help young reader’s comprehension of the text. This was the book for the youngest grade level that I have read this semester and I am very glad that I did.