Review of The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Winner of the 2013 Newbery Award, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is a touching story of two unlikely friends: a gorilla named Ivan and a baby elephant named Ruby. The unlikely duo become friends because they are both caged in a mall, performing in daily shows for a dwindling audience. On her deathbed, an elderly elephant asks Ivan to promise her one thing: that he will save Ruby. Ivan agrees to the promise, though he’s not sure how he can help, since he can’t even save himself. This heartwarming, bittersweet tale of friendship is unforgettable.

Image

Cover image of The One and Only Ivan. Castelao, P. (2012). [Cover image of The one and only Ivan]. Retrieved from http://theoneandonlyivan.com/book/

Evaluation

The One and Only Ivan is told in the first-person, from Ivan’s point of view. The chapters are extremely short and the paragraphs are equally concise, which fits with Ivan’s perspective on language. Ivan is not one to waste words; his thoughts are precise and to the point. This, as Ivan notes, is in deep contrast to humans: “Humans speak too much. They chatter like chimps, crowding the world with their noise even when they have nothing to say” (Applegate, 2012, p. 3). As the novel progresses, we slowly learn Ivan’s history and how he came to be the “One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback” at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall. From his capture in Africa and being sold to mall-owner Mack to living in a human home until he became too big and moving to a “domain” at the mall, Ivan’s story is heartbreaking. Ivan understands exactly where he is and how small his life is; “many days I forget what I am supposed to be. Am I a human? Am I a gorilla?” (Applegate, 2012, p. 143). Ivan recognizes that he’s a silverback without a troop to protect, which is odd for a gorilla, but he does find solace in his art. And then, one day, he finds his purpose: protecting baby Ruby. Finding his purpose changes everything for both Ivan and Ruby. Reading about animal captivity from Ivan’s point of view is both incredibly revealing and unbelievably heartbreaking.

Throughout the novel, Ivan makes unexpected insights about both the human experience and animal captivity. From the very beginning of the book, Ivan realizes that “humans love their words” (Applegate, 2012, p. 195), using them all the time, unlike Ivan who only says what needs to be said. Ivan also notes that humans are impatient and clever but sometimes slow to see what is right in front of them. In terms of his own captivity, Ivan tries to describe his domain as big and comfortable, filled with a TV, tire swing, and pool. The reality is that he doesn’t want to face the fact that he is living in a dingy cage. It isn’t until he promises to help Ruby that he can recognize and face this reality. When Ruby insists that she doesn’t want to go to live at the zoo because her home is with Ivan, he tells her, “This is your prison” (Applegate, 2012, p. 240). And of course, it’s Ivan’s prison too. A zoo, he realizes, is just a wild cage, but it’s also “a place where humans make amends” (Applegate, 2012, p. 166). Ivan’s unexpected insights will help readers think more clearly about both the human experience and animal captivity.

Finally, another strength of The One and Only Ivan is the figurative language. Ivan discusses human language quite a lot, and it is fitting that his language is very precise but also packs a punch. Ivan conveys much emotional intensity through he choice of words. When he describes human language, he says that “humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot” (Applegate, 2012, p. 2). Ivan uses a simile to show the reader exactly how loose humans are with language, tossing words around as if they don’t matter. And Ivan is right; humans do talk a lot. When Ivan compares himself to the elephant, Stella, and Bob, the dog, he uses a metaphor to describe the comparison: “Stella is a mountain. Next to her I am a rock, and Bob is a grain of sand” (Applegate, 2012, p. 27). The reader can see clearly the difference in size between the three animals. Throughout the novel, Ivan’s language is clear and evocative.

Response

Reading The One and Only Ivan was an emotional and intense experience for me. I love learning about animals and visiting zoos, but in the past 10 years, I’ve learned so much about animal cruelty, especially with circus animals. When my children were very little, my husband and I took them to the circus to see elephants, lions, tigers and other animals. Soon afterwards, I learned about the horrible treatment of elephants in captivity; this cruel “training” done with the claw-stick is discussed in The One and Only Ivan. Soon after that, I watched Blackfish, a documentary about captive killer whales at Sea World. After learning about the treatment of these intelligent animals, I vowed never to take my children to places where wild animals are confined, trained, and used as entertainment. I found the point of view of The One and Only Ivan utterly compelling; we see animal captivity and cruelty from the point of view of a captive animal. Ivan tells it like it is and forces readers to realize what is happening in the name of human entertainment. The poaching of animals in other parts of the world is also discussed in the novel, and these are important topics that all humans should care about. I also have concerns with zoos, though I have realized that zoos really are trying to do right by their animals. As Ivan himself explains, the zoo is a place where humans can make amends. For example, the Houston Zoo helps rehabilitate animals and release them back in to the wild; they participate in breeding programs to help increase numbers of endangered species; and they protect animals that cannot safely be released back into the wild. The One and Only Ivan is an important novel for kids and adults alike.

Conclusion

The One and Only Ivan is a compelling, heartbreaking, and important book that looks closely at animal captivity and using wild animals as entertainment for humans. The novel is told from the point of view of Ivan, a captive gorilla, who has sometimes doesn’t know if he’s a human or a gorilla. Ivan makes unexpected insights throughout the novel, encouraging readers to closely examine their own actions. Ivan also uses figurative language to concisely tell his story. This novel is absolutely breathtaking; the language is beautiful and the story is compelling. I loved the novel and would highly recommend it to fans of Hoot by Carl Hiassen and Journey of the Pale Bear by Susan Fletcher. 5 stars.

Citations

Applegate, K. (2012). The one and only Ivan. New York, NY: Harper.

Castelao, P. (2012). [Cover image of The one and only Ivan]. Retrieved from http://theoneandonlyivan.com/book/

Cowperthwaite, G. & Oteyza, M. (Producers), & Cowperthwaite, G. (Director). (2013). Blackfish. [Motion picture]. USA: Magnolia Pictures.

Fletcher, S. Journey of the Pale Bear. (2018). New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Hiassen, C. Hoot. (2002). New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.