• 5 Star Reads
  • Audiobooks
  • Books on Screen
  • Children’s Books
  • Christian
  • Fiction
  • Giveaways

5 Minutes For Books

  • Home
  • About
    • Who Are We? Reviewer Bios
    • 5 Star Reads
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
  • Join In
    • 5 Minutes for Books Bookclub
    • Children’s Classics
    • Kids’ Picks
    • What’s on Your Nightstand
  • Link To Us
  • Contact
    • Advertise

The One and Only Ivan, a 5 Star Read

February 17, 2012 by Jennifer

“People call me the Freeway Gorilla. The Ape at Exit 8. The One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback. The names are mine, but they’re not me. I am Ivan, just Ivan, only Ivan.”

As evidenced by the above paragraph on the 2nd page, The One and Only Ivan is a lovely book by Katherine Applegate. I was unexpectedly and completely drawn right into this gorilla’s thoughts and life. I felt for the gorilla, but I also immediately thought of any sort of name-calling or assumptions that cause people to doubt themselves — be that person me or an 8-year-old who just got glasses.

Ivan is a gorilla who has lived in a weird sort of mall circus for 27 years. His owner isn’t unkind to him, but he’s lonely. And without seeming too dark, we hear about Ivan’s loneliness and survival, recounted with Applegate’s sparse yet beautiful prose (or is it a free-verse poem?). He’s lonely for more of his kind and the life a gorilla is meant to have, but his life is not awful. He has Stella and Ruby the elephants in the area next to him, and Bob the stray dog who sneaks into the hole at the bottom of Ivan’s glass enclosure to snuggle up and sleep on Ivan’s stomach.

Julia, the janitor’s daughter, also uses that hole. She slips Ivan paper and crayons and markers and paint. They are both artists, so they understand each other.

Ivan is a selfless hero, as he seeks to make baby elephant Ruby’s life better and get her out there.

In spite of the fact that the story is from the point of view of an animal, it reads like realistic fiction. The humans and animals don’t talk to each other, but Ivan narrates the story, and the animals communicate with each other.

I’m adding this to our 5-Star Reads list, because it’s an emotionally resonant novel that speaks to children. Often adults like this sort of book, but I honestly think that this animal story will appeal to kids from 3rd grade (maybe younger) on up, especially animal-lovers or artists.

There is a discussion guide as well, which would be awesome to use a springboard for a book club group or classroom or home conversation.

Don’t miss a thing: Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed or video reviews on YouTube. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

Jennifer Donovan loves getting lost in the magical realism of middle grade fiction like this. She loves sharing such finds with her children, whom she has immortalized in the www at her blog Snapshot.

Filed Under: 5 Star Reads, Children's Books, Easy Readers, Jennifer, Middle Grade Chapter Books

« Little Princes
The Fourth Stall, Part II, Review and Giveaway »

Comments

  1. Carrie, Reading to Know says

    February 22, 2012 at 11:41 am

    I was curious about this one. (The cover art gets me.) I read another review that talked about death being a subject matter. I can’t remember exactly what it was but I hesitated over the book. You make it sound like something that Bookworm1 and I would enjoy. (He being the resident animal-lover and all.)

    Hmmm…I don’t know!

    • Jennifer says

      February 22, 2012 at 1:57 pm

      I think that the old elephant who is his friend dies, but she was really old and sick. I didn’t see it as being a big disturbing thing. Kyle hasn’t read it yet, but I want him to.

      I think it would be a great read-aloud.

  2. Cindy Brooks says

    February 22, 2012 at 1:43 pm

    I don’t know if this story is based on the real Ivan…but Ivan the gorilla lived at the B&I store (sort of Walmart-like) in Tacoma, WA when I was a kid. He was also an artist and it was fun to visit him. When the store closed he was moved to Atlanta where he now has a happy home in the zoo. Here’s his facebook page…

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ivan-the-Gorilla/169933269691715

    and here’s an article about him…

    http://www.examiner.com/headlines-in-tacoma/ivan-the-gorilla-loved-and-missed

    • Jennifer says

      February 22, 2012 at 1:59 pm

      It IS!! She mentions her inspiration in a note at the end. How cool that you’ve “met” Ivan the artistic gorilla.

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to 5 Minutes for Books. We are a team blog dedicated to sharing reviews and information about children's lit, fiction, memoir, and more. Read More…

Reviews

5 Minutes for Books

Jennifer Donovan
Managing Editor

MEET OUR TEAM



Connect With Us


Pinterest

Community

Cybils Logo Draft 3

Disclosure:

Find out about our relationships with publishers and affiliate networks in our full disclosure statement.

Recent Posts

  • Devil’s Delight
  • The Color Line
  • Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
  • The Greenleaf Murders
  • Chaos at Carnegie Hall

Categories

Privacy Policy    |     Disclosure Policy
Terms & Conditions
© 5 Minutes for Mom

Let’s Socialize

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Pinterest is Our FAVORITE!

Find and Follow Us at
pinterest.com/5min4books

Copyright © 2023 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316