Poetic Experience, November 4, 2012

Katherine Applegate pens a poignant yet gentle story that perpetuates George Eliot's message that "It is never too late to be what you might have been." Ivan's honest, first-person, stream of conscious narration hooked me from page one. I appreciated his thoughts. His restraint. His passion. His powerful examination and use of words. His kindness. I wanted to be Julia so I could be his friend. I wanted to be the one to give him crayons. Ivan's use of art as a means of expressing his individuality, connecting with others, and promoting social justice is a beautiful tribute to the role that art can play in each of our lives.Applegate skillfully created powerful text structure that authentically invites deeper reading. The glossary at the beginning guides readers to approach the text from a learner's stance. It establishes the expectation that this book is about ready to share some powerful information. And the book doesn't disappoint. Each entry is labeled at the top with a...

I was hesitant to chose this book thinking an animal book would be too silly or something . . . but Applegate's Home of the Brave is one of my favorite books ever so I decided to take a chance. And I am SO GLAD I DID. This book was wonderful--heartbreakingly wonderful. I just loved every character--both animal and human. Ivan the artistic gorilla, Stella the stoic mother elephant, Bob the tough on the outside but not so tough on the inside dog, and of course Ruby the baby elephant who just wants to be loved. And the humans: George the sympathetic caretaker and his daughter Julie, a bit like Fern in Charlotte's web because she can almost understand Ivan--or at least understand his art. Every character was real--even Mack the owner of the menagerie, though we hate what he's doing, there is more too him than just badness. The situation was just so sad but so well done--the minute I finished the book, I immediately passed it on to my daughter . . . maybe not the best idea to give it to...

Parents on the qui vive for deeper stories to share with their children need look no further than Katherine Applegate's tale, "The One and Only Ivan", written from the perspective of a Silverback gorilla living in a shopping mall.Too many children are sheltered from animals, left to draw their experiences from animated movies like , and . What's missing from those stories? Humanity and tenderness; qualities you will find in abundance in this book.Applegate's story should resonate with animal lovers, too. The gorilla lives a simple, sad life with only a couple friends, including Bob, a stray dog, and Stella, an aging elephant. The years of living behind a glass wall at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video...