Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. Mostly, he thinks about art. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

Continuing the story of these friends in The One and Only Bob, Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.

And the littlest elephant shares her own story in The One and Only Ruby, picking up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob as Ruby's caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa, where she grew up visiting her at the sanctuary. Seeing him again brings back a flood of memories of her life before the circus, and she recounts the time she spent in the African savannah to Ivan and Bob.

In the timeless way that only Katherine Applegate could craft, these unforgettable novels in verse are the perfect mix of heartfelt and humorous, poignant and sweet. Artist Patricia Castelao brings the world of Ivan and his friends to life with beautiful black-and-white interior illustrations to complete the story. Bob and Ruby also include stunning bonus full-color art inside the front cover!

The One and Only books feature first-person narrative; author's use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective).

These middle grade novels are an excellent choice for tween readers in grades five to eight, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom.