The One and Only Ivan

From Goodreads:    Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.

My Thoughts:

-    A very charming and bittersweet story. 

-    I loved the format of short thoughts from Ivan. It made the book so simple and poignant. 

-    I loved all the animals. They were so endearing, and I felt for all of them. Bob was really fun, and he kept the book lighter. Ruby was so cute, but I felt so sorry for her, poor thing. The real story of Ivan was far worse than the book portrays, so I'm happy fictional Ivan had friends.

-    I liked Julia a lot. I'm glad Ivan had her come visit her so often. I wish she and her dad could have done more for Ivan and the other animals. They were very kind though. 

-    The book had a very somber yet happy feel. I liked the ending a lot because it gave me a sense of peace for Ivan and the rest of the animals. 

-    I LOVED the illustrations. They were so beautiful! They really captured the animals and their emotions. 

-    Great middle grade story. I think anyone could read this and enjoy it. I am really glad I got to learn about Ivan.