THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate

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

Audio book:

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. Narrated by Adam Grupper. 2013. New York: HarperFestival. ISBN 9780062285300

Here’s a great go-to for your reluctant readers.  The main character is a gorilla, and there is a new chapter (verse) on nearly every page!  What more could a kid want!  But trust me, there’s more.  Lots more.  In this 2013 Newbery and Bluebonnet winner based on a true story, Katherine Applegate has forged a tale as big as the jungle.  Don’t let the 300 pages scare your easily intimidated readers.  The story is told in verse with scant ink on each page.  But the diamond mined words are sated with story as dense as the rainforest.

Our protagonist, Ivan, a silverback gorilla, is the star attraction in a small, declining mall circus.  He narrates the story and relates his daily existence matter-of-factly.  He seems content (resigned) to his domain, his TV, his art, and his few friends who include a homeless dog named Bob, an ailing elephant named Stella, and a human child advocate (and fellow artist) named Julia. 

Ivan has long buried his memories of life before the cage until the arrival of a new baby elephant named Ruby.  Although Stella, the current performing elephant, is incensed at first that this usurper has been acquired, she grows to love Ruby as her own.  The conflict of the story grows out of a rash vow that Ivan makes to Stella in a time of desperation and friendship.  Even as he willingly makes the promise, he knows “It would be easier to promise to stop eating, to stop breathing, to stop being a gorilla.” But without flinching he says. “I promise, Stella.  I promise on my word as a silverback.”

In his quest to fulfill his promise, Ivan struggles to get out of the quicksand of his bromidic existence, to regain his silverback character as the ultimate protector.  Fraught with rich discussion themes of friendship, integrity, keeping promises, animal protection, courage, and sacrifice (just to name a few), The One and Only Ivan earns its place with the literary treasures.  Martha Parravano, in her July 16, 2013 review for Horn Book, calls it the “Charlotte’s Web of our time.”  Both children and adults can connect with its relevance, drama, and emotion.

The illustrations by Patricia Castaleo, though charming, neither add to nor detract from the book, in my opinion.  They are black and white drawings and seen sparingly.  The audio book, however, was for me an experience that I’m glad I didn’t miss.

 Adam Grupper reads each voice in the unabridged recording on 3 discs.  He captures each personality subtly but distinctly.  It is never hard to keep up with who is talking.  His voice as Ivan is so endearing that even a non-animal-lover cannot resist loving him.  The volume of the recording is very consistent, so I did not have to keep adjusting it to hear or tone down the dialogue.  The poetic imagery and cadence of the words complimented the personalities of the animals, so that they seemed human at times, but not too human.  Grupper’s performance of the material is definitely a plus for this book, especially due to the fact that a piece of poetry deserves to be read aloud.  Grupper’s reading enhances and enchants.  I recommend you not miss it either.