The One and Only Ivan
Katherine Applegate
Ages 8–12 · Grade 3–7 · 2011
Perfect for 9-year-olds who love animals and are ready for a story that makes them think and feel deeply.
What this book builds
EmpathyImaginationPerseverance
Reading feel
Thoughtful & layered
Stretch for a typical reader at this age
ComfortableStretchingAdvanced
A bit more about the fit
- Engagement
- Moderate build
- Character energy
- Quiet observer
- Social tone
- Warm and supportive
About the book
Having spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.