The One and Only Ivan. By Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. Harper, 2012. 305 pages. $20.25
Katherine Applegate's Newbury Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan is the story of a silverback gorilla who spends his life in a glass cage in a shopping mall, where he is put on display for the customers who come to stare at him. Ivan's best friends are an elephant named Stella and a stray dog named Bob, but he is still lonely because he has no contact with other gorillas. Some of the humans who visit Ivan are nice; others, not so much, but Ivan is befriended by a girl named Julia, whose father is responsible for cleaning the animals' cages. Julia is an artist, and with her help, Ivan becomes an artist as well. Using the paper, crayons, and paints that Julia gives him, Ivan creates artworks that are sold by his keeper, Mack, in the mall gift store. Patricia Castelao's whimsical black and white illustrations help to bring these characters to life.
Even though Ivan has a home, food, and friends, he also has the feeling that something important is missing. He can barely remember his life in the jungle, but he knows that wild animals belong outside, with real trees, real skies, and others of their kind. One day, a new arrival comes to the mall: a baby elephant named Ruby, who is adopted by Stella. As he observes Ruby adapt to her new environment, Ivan becomes even more convinced that animals belong in nature, and he makes a vow to help her find a better place to live. Ivan uses his art to get his message out to those who can help her.
Based on the story of a real-life gorilla, The One and Only Ivan is a story about many things. It is a story about friendship, and about loneliness as well. It's about how we treat those who are different from us, and it is also about the power of art to change the way people think, This book will appeal to anyone who has ever felt alone or different, and anyone who has ever been concerned about the way humans treat the other creatures with whom we share this planet. Sometimes funny, and sometimes quite sad, this book is always entertaining, and always thought-provoking. Come to the library and check it out!
