The One and Only Ivan

By: Katherine Applegate

     The Newbery Medal winner, The One and Only Ivan, is the story of a Silverback gorilla named Ivan, who lives in his "domain" at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.  Through the first-person narrative of Ivan's perspective, readers see that Ivan is content watching TV and the humans surrounding him, chatting with his animal friends, and making artwork.  Although the mall is not a suitable place for any animals to live, Ivan never desires to leave it until a baby elephant named Ruby moves in.  She brings a fresh perspective to the mall, having just come from the wild, and encourages Ivan to remember his own past.  After seeing the mall in this new light, Ivan concocts a plan to use his artistic talents to enact change for all of the Exit 8 Big Top Mall animals.

     Applegate utilizes a unique writing style characterized by short paragraphs and significant amounts of blank space on each page within the book.  In addition to strictly limiting the amount of words presented, this style allows Ivan's character to shine through.  Ivan states that "Humans speak too much. They chatter like chimps, crowding the world with their noise when they have nothing to say" (p. 3).  By commenting on the tendency of humans to speak too much, Ivan creates a contrast to his own careful selection of words, which remains constant throughout Applegate's writing.  Furthermore, this scene draws readers' attention to the extreme care that Applegate used in making sure that each word is emotionally charged and meaningful to the work as a whole.

     From the beginning of the story, as we are thrown into Ivan's perspective, it is clear that he is unlike other gorillas.  Ivan is a passionate artist who deeply loves his friends at the mall, and this love is what helps Ivan realize some of his true Silverback potential.  His intense desire to protect others is evident through his promise to Stella.  Applegate also presents the human characters with great complexity.  Looking at Mack, who is the villainous figure, readers see great depth to his character.  Though readers are enraged when Mack pulls out the claw-stick to force Ruby to perform certain tasks and neglects Stella, he is also portrayed as a father figure to Ivan.  In detailing the close relationship that Ivan and Mack once shared in Mack's human home, some of the heart wrenching elements of Mack's life arise (i.e. marriage ending, financial trouble, etc.); however, it is still clear that Mack's role in keeping the animals captive in the mall is wrong.  While readers experience a full spectrum of emotion when learning about Mack, the animal rights issue remains at the forefront, making Mack a multidimensional villain.  In contrast to Mack, George and Julia are presented as positive examples of humans because of their role in working to help the animals, and the special emotional connection they both share to their respective animal friends.

     This book ends in a very happy manner in which everything seems to quickly come together to fulfill each character's dreams.  The text itself mirrors this circular resolution, as the words "One and Only Ivan… Mighty Silverback" are repeated to highlight Ivan's pure heart and growth as a character in his new setting (300).  I think all of these aspects come together to create an engaging story for younger readers, especially those ages 8-12.  This book would make a great read aloud, as the short sentences and verse form would emphasize Ivan's strong character presence when spoken aloud.  Additionally, the characters in this book are very lovable, and young readers would easily "befriend" and become attached to them.  Book discussions, in conjunction with the read aloud, could cover topics such as animal rights, the role of zoos, and fit into any animal studies.