The One and Only Ivan

"It is never to late to be what you might have been."
 - George Eliot

So starts The One and Only Ivan written by Katherine Applegate, 2012. It is a heartwarming story about a gorilla and his friends Stella, Bob, and Ruby. Ivan lives in a cage at a mall with his friends. We learn how Ivan came to be in his cage, his life as an artist, and his relationships with his friends. Ivan makes a promise to help a baby elephant live a better life. He realizes there are good and bad people while trying to keep his promise. The story is told with humor, sadness, and joy, all from Ivan's point of view. Although a work of fiction, the book is based on the true story of Ivan. Here is a link to the book trailer. (Really? Yes, this is new to me, but I think I like book trailers. I like this one anyway. It captures the spirit of the book.) The One and Only Ivan book trailer.

I knew from the first page I was going to like this book. Why? The touching tone, the short chapters, and the close relationships between the characters. While reading, I never felt like the author was writing down for a younger audience. Although the book is written for upper elementary to middle grades (about ages 9 to 13) I think anyone would feel touched by this book. It would even make a good read-aloud book for teachers or library programs. Here is a link to the publishers site that contains a reading guide, and activity: HarpersCollins-The One and Only Ivan. This has become one of my all-time favorite children's book.