The One and Only Ivan

So excited to finally read Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan which has gotten so much positive buzz. This quick read fictional story narrated by a gorilla named Ivan was inspired by a real silverback named Ivan. Ivan describes vague memories of being captured as a baby with his sister who didn't make it alive to the United States. He was raised like a child by a man named Mick and his wife until he became too big to take care of. When Mick's wife leaves him, he creates an animal display at a mall to show Ivan and other circus type animals for profit. Applegate creatively gives voices to the animals in the story. Ivan in the story, like the real Ivan, has spent twenty-seven-years in a cage on display. He knows he was meant for more than this and ultimately steps up to be the protector that silverbacks are known to be when a baby elephant named Ruby is added to Mick's animal show. Ivan uses his artwork to find a way to become "The One and Only Ivan". Other great reads by Applegate include Home of the Brave (a novel in verse)and the popular Animorphs series.