Cover of The One and Only Ivan
Historical FictionCircus & Carnival

The One and Only Ivan

by

  • 2011 first published
  • 322 pages
  • ★ 4.4 (46 ratings)
  • 35 editions
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Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan (2011) is a historical fiction and circus fiction novel. Key subjects include animals, elephants, Gorilla and Treatment.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.4 out of 5 from 46 ratings, and 563 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 35 editions across 6 languages. It appeared on the New York Times Childrens Middle Grade bestseller list in 2013.

At about 322 pages, most readers finish it in 5–6 hours.

About The One and Only Ivan

Having spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.
Description from Open Library

Awards & lists

  • 📰New York Times bestseller list — Childrens Middle Grade, 2013
  • 📰New York Times bestseller list — Childrens Middle Grade E-Book, 2015
  • 📰New York Times bestseller list — Childrens Middle Grade Paperback, 2015

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Subjects

  • Animals
  • Elephants
  • Gorilla
  • Treatment
  • Circus animals
  • Circus
  • Animal welfare
  • Social Themes
  • Zoos
  • Gorillas
  • Friendship
  • Apes, Monkeys
  • Historical fiction
  • Newbery Medal
  • Animals, treatment
  • Children's fiction

Quick answers

Who wrote The One and Only Ivan?

The One and Only Ivan was written by Katherine Applegate and first published in 2011.

What genre is The One and Only Ivan?

It is usually shelved as Historical Fiction and Circus & Carnival.

How long is The One and Only Ivan?

The median edition has 322 pages, about 5–6 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to The One and Only Ivan?

Readers who like it often enjoy The Kite Rider, Water for Elephants and Hetty Feather.

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