One & Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is easily one of my favorite books ever.

Based on the true story of a gorilla named Ivan, this book will make you cry, laugh and really think. All the things a good book does.

What I love most about this book is the depth of the characters. Ivan, Ruby, Stella, Bob, Julia & Mack all have their stories woven into it, bound together in their relationships with each other. The depth of these relationships is what makes the book so beautiful and so heart-breaking at times.

This is a book that I could read over and over. I read it aloud to two 5th grade sections this Fall, after reading it myself last Spring. I still cried both times I read it, and both classes cheered at the end, but were very sad that it was over.

What a perfect book.



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