The One and Only Ivan

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-and-only-ivan-katherine-applegate/1102905158?ean=9780061992254

Applegate, Katherine. 2012. The One and Only Ivan. Ill. by Patricia Castelao. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9780061992254

Summary

Ivan is a gorilla living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Game Arcade where people come to watch him through the glass walls of his domain. Ivan does not remember much of his life before the mall, and he spends most of his time in the companionship of Stella, an aging elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. Ivan likes to create art, a passion that he shares with his human friend Julia, and he tries to capture the world around him with color and line. When, Ruby, a baby elephant arrives at the mall, Ivan's world begins to change. Ivan makes a promise to Stella that he will protect the young elephant. Ruby opens his eyes to their condition, and he begins to remember what it means to be a gorilla. Ivan realizes he must take action to change their lives for the better. 

Critical Analysis

Author Katherine Applegate's character Ivan, the gorilla narrator of the story, speaks to the reader with spare and concise language. The One and Only Ivan is a novel in verse, and Applegate tells her story in free-verse poetry. The sentences and paragraphs are short and extra line breaks space the pages. The book chapters are short, as well, with chapter titles that tell the reader the central theme of poem. Some of the chapters are in narrative free verse with short stanzas, and other poems use one word lines to create a vivid visual image for the reader. For example, Ivan describes his first experience being outside after a lifetime of indoor captivity, "/Sky/Grass/Tree/Ant/Stick/.../Mine/Mine/Mine/"  in the poem "outside at last".

Although Ivan's sentences are terse, the emotional impact of what he has to say makes The One and Only Ivan a beautiful and moving story. The variety of themes of the story, such as empathy, friendship, responsibility, and animal rights, have a classic appeal to an audience. Castelao's illustrations highlight the story, but are distributed sparingly enough throughout the novel that they do not overpower the narrative. 

The One and Only Ivan will appeal to a wide range of readers. The simple language will make this book an easy read for young and reluctant readers, but the compelling story will engross adult readers as well. 

Awards

The One and Only Ivan won many awards. A few of those include the Newbery Medal in 2013, ALA Notable Books for Children in 2013, and School Library Journal Best Books of the Year in 2012.

Reviews

Booklist, February 15, 2012, says this of the prose, "The text, written in first person from Ivan's point of view, does a good job of vividly conveying his personality, emotions, and intelligence as well as creating a sense of otherness in his point of view."

While, the November 04, 2011 issue of Publishers Weekly has this description of Applegate's text, "The brief chapters read like free-verse poetry, the extra line breaks between paragraphs driving home the contrast between Ivan and humans, who in his opinion, "waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot." As is to be expected, there's significant anthropomorphism, but Applegate is largely successful in creating a protagonist who can understand humans yet feels like a gorilla. Although Ivan's role in the events leading to their rescue reads as too human, readers will be left rethinking our relationship to animals."

Connections

The One and Only Ivan would make an excellent selection for a public library's child and parent book club. The group could discuss their thoughts about wild animals living in captivity. The librarian could research and share information about how many elephants and gorillas still live in the wild and talk about their natural habitats. Children could also locate the Democratic Republic of the Congo on a globe and see how far it is from the United States. 

References

Books In Print. Texas Woman's University. Accessed September 30, 2013