One sentence summary
A remarkable Newbery award-winning story of a gorilla named Ivan who learns to find his true strength, voice, and purpose.
Book genre
Children’s Fiction, Fantasy, Animal Stories
Main topic of the book
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is a powerful story about a captive gorilla living in a mall and his journey to freedom.
Key ideas
- Compassion: Ivan’s incredible understanding of the feelings of his human and animal companions and his willingness to do anything for their freedom.
- Perseverance: Ivan discovers his courage and strength to fight against injustice and his own boundaries.
- Resilience: Ivan overcomes the abuse he endured and finds his true voice –– both literally and figuratively –– before and after his eventual freedom.
Main parts of the book and a short summary
The One and Only Ivan follows the story of a silverback gorilla, Ivan, who was captured from the jungle and brought to live in a roadside zoo in a shopping center. The mall’s latest addition — an elephant named Ruby — helps Ivan to recognize the unfairness and cruelty of life in captivity and Ivan begins to search for a way out. After several trying times and the help of his animal and human companions, he finally finds a way to freedom.
On his journey to freedom, Ivan learns about the power and beauty of friendship, family, love, courage, and the strength to persevere. Along the way, Ivan discovers his true purpose and, most importantly, finds his own voice, which gives him the courage to fight for his friends’ freedom.
Key Takeaways
- The power of kindness and the value of friendship in difficult circumstances.
- The courage and resilience to fight for a better life — both for animals and humans.
- The importance of finding and using your own unique voice.
- The beauty of freedom and the strength to fight for it.
Author’s background and qualifications
The author of The One and Only Ivan is Katherine Applegate, an American children’s writer. Applegate’s first book was published in 1988. Many of her stories and novels have won awards, including the Newbery Medal in 2013 for The One and Only Ivan.
Target audience
The target audience for The One and Only Ivan is children aged 8-12 due to its magical, inspiring elements, accessible language, and focus on resilience and friendship.
Publisher and first publication date
The One and Only Ivan was published in 2012 by Harper Collins Publishers. It has subsequently been reprinted several times.