Overview

Winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal and a #1 New York Times bestseller, this stirring and unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendships. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated novel is told from the point-of-view of Ivan himself.Having spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan's unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope. An author's note depicts the differences between the fictional story and true events.This paperback edition also includes a version of the author's Newbery Medal acceptance speech, biographical information on the real Ivan, discussion questions, and more.Supports the Common Core State Standards

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9780606354813

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Reviews

Katherine Applegate's beautiful, life-affirming story will soar directly from Ivan's heart into your own. Read it out loud. Read it alone. Read it. --Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor author of The Underneath

"""A beautifully written, intelligent and brave book. You will never look at the relationship of humans and animals in the same way again. Quite simply, this story is life changing.""--Patricia MacLachlan, Newbery Medal-winning author of Sarah, Plain and Tall ""Animal-loving youngsters and their adults will find plenty of food for thought in Ivan's extraordinary story.""--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review) ""Discover an animal hero that will take his place with other courageous and beloved animals such as Babe, Mrs. Frisby, Charlotte and Wilbur. Adults reading this aloud with children will find it just as rewarding.""--Shelf Awareness ""Exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.""--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ""Important.""--The Horn Book ""Katherine Applegate's beautiful, life-affirming story will soar directly from Ivan's heart into your own. Read it out loud. Read it alone. Read it.""--Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor author of The Underneath ""The One and Only Ivan will break your heart--and then, against all odds, mend it again. In cheering for Ivan and his friends, we cheer for our own humanity and our own possibilities. Read this.""--Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor author of The Wednesday Wars ""Will capture readers' hearts and never let go. A must have.""--School Library Journal (starred review)"

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