The One and Only Ivan

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Synopsis (from Amazon):  The #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan is coming to Disney+ this summer!

This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself. 

Having spent twenty-seven 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.

In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create an unforgettable story of friendship, art, and hope.

The One and Only Ivan features first-person narrative; author's use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective).

This acclaimed middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 8, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom.

Plus don't miss The One and Only Bob, Katherine Applegate's return to the world of Ivan, Bob, and Ruby!

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Absolutely loved it.  A MUST read.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  Reviews to come: The One and Only Bob and Wishtree.

New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate has written many books for young readers, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal and soon to be a Disney movie. 

Katherine’s picture books include THE BUFFALO STORM, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion Books), and THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF IVAN, THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Clarion Books). She also wrote ROSCOE RILEY RULES, a seven-book early chapter series illustrated by Brian Biggs (HarperCollins.) 

Books for middle-grade readers include HOME OF THE BRAVE (Feiwel & Friends), THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, illustrated by Patricia Castaleo (HarperCollins), and CRENSHAW (Feiwel & Friends.) Her newest novel, WISHTREE, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends), was an ALA Notable, New York Times, Boston Globe, NPR, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Chicago Public Library, and Booklist Best Book of 2017.

With her husband, Michael Grant, Katherine co-wrote ANIMORPHS, a long-running series that has sold over 35 million books worldwide. They also wrote two other series, REMNANTS and EVERWORLD, and a young adult novel, EVE AND ADAM (Feiwel & Friends.) 

In 2018, Katherine will publish two new books, a picture book called SOMETIMES YOU FLY, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion), and the first book in a middle-grade fantasy trilogy, ENDLING (HarperCollins.) 

Katherine’s books have been translated into dozens of languages, and her books have won accolades including the Christopher Medal, the Golden Kite Award, the Bank Street Josette Frank Award, the California Book Award Gold Medal, the Crystal Kite Award, the Green Earth Book Honor Award, and the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award. Many of her works have appeared on state master lists, as well as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and New York Times bestseller lists, and numerous Best of the Year lists.

Katherine lives in Marin County, California, with her family and assorted pets. She is represented by Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties, Inc.

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