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Published: January 17, 2012
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Reading Age: 8-12
Content Warnings: Animal cruelty + death
Book Description
The One and Only Ivan tells the story of Ivan, a silverback gorilla living in captivity at a shopping mall alongside his animal friends, Stella the elephant and Bob the dog. Narrated from Ivan’s point of view, the story follows his life as he observes humans and expresses himself through art. When a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, Ivan begins to see his world differently. After promising the dying Stella that he will find Ruby a better home, Ivan uses his artwork to communicate with the outside world, ultimately leading to their rescue and relocation to a zoo—where he fulfills his promise and discovers his true purpose.
My Thoughts
This is a wholesome story that broke my heart and healed it all at once. We read this as a homeschool read aloud this year and all my school aged children really seemed to enjoy it. It had plenty of moments of giggles and emotional ones. But ultimately we finished the book feeling nothing but happiness and hope for all of the animals. We’re excited to dig into the rest of the series.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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