The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
My name is Simone, I’m 13 years old and I’m going into 8th grade. I enjoy skiing, playing volleyball, skateboarding and I have a love for fashion.
The One and Only Ivan is an amazing read about animal cruelty and the difficulties that zoo animals have to live. The chapters are very short, about 1-2 pages and it’s all like poetry. This kind of reading style was very easy to understand and comprehend. I loved this book because I care a lot about animals and their well-being.
This book is inspired by a true story about a silver back gorilla that lived in a concrete box for 27 years at a mall. In this book he has friends, a little girl, a stray dog named Bob, an old elephant named Stella and a baby elephant named Ruby. Stella immediately forms a connection with Ruby but sadly Stella is very ill because of the neglect all those years. Her dying wish is for Ivan to save Ruby and get her out of the mall so she can live freely unlike the rest of them.
The One And Only Ivan is written in the perspective of the gorilla, Ivan. The book shows how he feels and acts being caged. Although this topic is very sad, the author finds a way to make the book very optimistic and hopeful. People of any age could read this book because it has a very heartfelt meaning and is very easy to read, Hope you read it and enjoy it!
