Review: The One and Only Ivan

After reading Crenshaw, I couldn't wait to get my hands on another Katherine Applegate book. I quickly cam across the Newbery-winning book, The One and Only Ivan. This book is completely different than most books. First of all, it is from the perspective of the main character/narrator, the gorilla, Ivan. Second, he is a gorilla and has a very primitive way of narrating his story and does not think like a human. It's no surprise that this book won the Newbery award. Its chapters are short, but it is better that way, because it wouldn't be from a gorilla's perspective, if he thought long and hard about subjects. Its almost torture to the reader that he can understand the words of humans, but they can't understand him, because he has to go to the most drastic measures, to make sure they understand him. This was a heart-warming book, but that wasn't its main theme. It was more frustration and imagination. This unusual combination makes for a very interesting book. The plot is all over the place, but here is the main one.

Ivan is a gorilla in a circus/mall, where he is kept in a relatively large cage. His main hobby is drawing, but his imagination only goes as far as the things in his cage. The owner of the mall is The janitor's daughter always sits by his cage, draws, and keeps him company alone with his friends Stella and Bob. Stella is an old, wise elephant, who had been there longer than any of them. Bob is a small, wily dog that isn't a circus animal, but sleeps with Ivan. Ivan's life is routine, he does the same things and sees the same things every day, but he doesn't get bored of it. Everything is normal until a new attraction comes to the mall. It is a baby elephant named Ruby, who was transported from another run-down mall. She is put in the same cage as Stella, who treats her like a daughter. Ruby is shy at first but soon starts talking to them non-stop. Mack tries to train her right away, but she is resistant. She wants to stay in the cage with Stella. That is until Stella's infected foot takes a turn for the worst and she dies. This sparks something in Ivan. He does not want Ruby to spend most of her life in a cage, like Stella. He tries to tell Julia this by writing the simple words, HOME, but she does not understand it. He does not give up and is determined to free Ruby from her cage. Then, for the first time, he gets an idea to draw something that is not in his cage. He uses his imagination and creates a mural of paintings that will show Ruby happy and free. Julia finally gets the idea and posts the picture of Ruby happy and free on a billboard, Mack is happy and gets more costumers after tourists see that a gorilla had painted it, but many see the painting as Ivan does, a plea for freedom. Soon protesters come form everywhere and Mack is forced to give Ivan and Ruby to a local zoo. Ivan is put in a cage and put in an environment, with other gorillas, 2 females and on young male. He becomes the silverback of the pack but is worried about what happened to Ruby. On the last few chapters, he sees Ruby laughing and plating with other elephants n the next exhibit over. Bob becomes Julia's and the janitor's pet and all is well with Ivan.

This is a very inspiring book. It makes you think on animal cruelty and caging up animals. Some of it is funny and some of it is sad. Applegate really has a way to put meaning behind words. Like most good stories Ivan changes as the book progresses. The interesting thing about the story; "Is Mack the bad guy?" He obviously loves Ivan, but he also refuses to let him go. The one thing about this book that I wish would change is the ending. You never know what happens to Mack or what Ivan does in the zoo. It leaves you on a cliff-hanger. All in all I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 star rating. I can definitely see how this book won the Newberry prize.