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What Members Thought
I loved the voice of Ivan in this book. I read it as an ebook, and couldn't stop myself from highlighting tons of lines that made me laugh and sigh and smile and reflect. However when I came back to record a few of of my highlights here... they were all deleted from my ereader. Perhaps a sign I should just sit down an read this book again - it was that good.
Booktalked it to grades 3-5 - many kids on the hold list (will need to get more copies), and two 4th grade classes starting it as a read alo ...more
Booktalked it to grades 3-5 - many kids on the hold list (will need to get more copies), and two 4th grade classes starting it as a read alo ...more
To paraphrase another reviewer, I hate feel-good animal books... but I'm not made of stone. Cried like a baby reading this one. It's beautiful and life-affirming and all that crap, and it comes by it honestly.
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Things I loved about this book:
-Super duper writing. Wonderful imagery, no unnecessary words, well crafted little prose poems make up each chapter.
-Bob! I loved that dog. I want to read a whole book about Bob. I liked Ivan and Stella and Ruby, too, but Bob was my favorite.
-The message, tactfully delivered, that animals should be treated with respect.
Things I didn't love about this book:
-There's just one thing I didn't totally love about this book. The illustrations. Were they done by comput ...more
-Super duper writing. Wonderful imagery, no unnecessary words, well crafted little prose poems make up each chapter.
-Bob! I loved that dog. I want to read a whole book about Bob. I liked Ivan and Stella and Ruby, too, but Bob was my favorite.
-The message, tactfully delivered, that animals should be treated with respect.
Things I didn't love about this book:
-There's just one thing I didn't totally love about this book. The illustrations. Were they done by comput ...more
This is that book - the one that most people adore, that gets rave reviews and awards buzz, the one people recommend to adults and kids, the one that I totally don't get. It's the story of a gorilla. And a few elephants, a dog, and some humans. Right there is your tip-off - I'm not a huge fan of animal stories, unless there's something else remarkable to recommend them. And I don't find my emotional buttons getting hit by tales of animal suffering (as much as I think animal cruelty is awful, it
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Grades 3-5. RL 570. Ivan, a silverback gorilla, has been kept in captivity as a tourist attraction for a circus-themed mall. His only other companions are a stray dog named Bob and a wise old elephant named Stella. The mall begins to suffer financially and the owner Mack begins to scale back on cleaning, food, etc. As a last-ditch effort he brings in a baby elephant named Ruby.
Ruby has been taken from her family in the wild and Stella is deeply saddened that this young elephant's life will be lo ...more
Ruby has been taken from her family in the wild and Stella is deeply saddened that this young elephant's life will be lo ...more
I'm glad there were finally some good humans in the real Ivan's story. We're a race that doesn't have too much to be proud of a lot of the time.
This is an amazing book. A must-read. Two-hankie book, if you know what I mean -- one for happy, one for sad.
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This is an amazing book. A must-read. Two-hankie book, if you know what I mean -- one for happy, one for sad.
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What a gorgeous book, and what a sap I was at the end! As much as I want to read this aloud to my students, I'm going to have to work on those moments where I got all choked up - wow! The characters are great; the words are sparse but powerful. An amazing book that will be shared with students over and over!!
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This writing in this book is exquisite. Ivan and his friends are characters who will speak to a multitude of readers. This story is one that transcends age and experiences. I love this book. A top Newbery contender without a doubt.
Additional review published on my blog: http://childrenslitcrossroads.wordpre... ...more
Additional review published on my blog: http://childrenslitcrossroads.wordpre... ...more
Interesting book. Spare but big emotions. Well crafted. The format is really perfect for the story (no real chapters, almost like a journal). Not a word wasted. Some truly perfect lines. Voice is spot-on.
My only criticism (and it isn't even really that) as I think about this book alongside other books, is that there's a really simple narrative here. Applegate isn't juggling very much. It's more like a chapter book in this. Which is by no means bad!! Totally appropriate. But I couldn't help think ...more
My only criticism (and it isn't even really that) as I think about this book alongside other books, is that there's a really simple narrative here. Applegate isn't juggling very much. It's more like a chapter book in this. Which is by no means bad!! Totally appropriate. But I couldn't help think ...more
I had heard many good things about The One and Only Ivan. It turns out every word was truer than I could have imagined.
Ivan is a peaceful Gorilla living in a mall. He likes making art, and he thinks he is forgetful. It's not until he makes a promise to an old friend and gets to know a young elephant named Ruby that he remembers his past.
A book sure to fill the reader, young and old, with laughter, sadness, hope & wisdom. ...more
Ivan is a peaceful Gorilla living in a mall. He likes making art, and he thinks he is forgetful. It's not until he makes a promise to an old friend and gets to know a young elephant named Ruby that he remembers his past.
A book sure to fill the reader, young and old, with laughter, sadness, hope & wisdom. ...more
Haunting, particularly for someone who is already freaked out by primates in captivity. What I appreciated most was the perfect amount and tone of humor. This is absolutely appropriate as a book in verse, and I didn't think structuring it that way was gimmicky at all. Highly recommended; we're reading this aloud in class.
February 2013: Reread after the book won the Newbery. Just as wonderful this time around. ...more
February 2013: Reread after the book won the Newbery. Just as wonderful this time around. ...more
Ah, man. I wanted to love this way more than I did. It's being thrown around as the new classic, up there with Charlotte's Web. Not. Even. Close.
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Such a sweet and heart-wrenching story of a gorilla who has spent most of his life as a sideshow act and the little elephant that changes everything.
Newbery Medal, 2013
Funny and sweet. Ivan is a wonderful main character, with a beautiful cast of supporting characters. I love Applegate's note at the back explaining about the little nugget that she used to develop Ivan and his world. ...more
Funny and sweet. Ivan is a wonderful main character, with a beautiful cast of supporting characters. I love Applegate's note at the back explaining about the little nugget that she used to develop Ivan and his world. ...more
Feb 21, 2012
Monica Edinger
added it
May 19, 2012
Ellen
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
fantasy,
childrensfiction,
darkhumor,
social-problems,
death,
books-that-made-me-cry,
animals
