The One and Only Ivan
By Katherine Applegate
Genre: Juvenile
5 out of 5 stars
Publisher's synopsis: 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.
Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.
My thoughts: Told from a gorilla's perspective, this was a fun read. The story was heartbreaking and heartwarming, I laughed and cried. This is a Newberry award winner and well deserved. I encourage you to read this if you have a chance.
This sounds good! And I wonder if the author named her Ruby after the artist elephant that used to live at our zoo?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_%28elephant%29
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteMom