"The story leads readers to ponder the ecological devastation of the ivory trade, the difficulties of being torn from your homeland at an early age, and the horrors of many circuses and zoos. But countering that is also the joy of friendship, humans' kindness toward animals, and the joy of just being a kid.... For fans of Ivan as well as animals in general, this is a special sequel." — Booklist (starred review)
"Applegate yet again shows her ability to explore grief and its lifelong ripples with a subtle tenderness. The direct narrative tone gives depth to her personality: Ruby can be as mischievous and playful as she is stubborn and sometimes angry. Ivan, Bob, and Ruby all share terrible experiences at the hands of ignorant and even cruel humans, and while Applegate shows their current caretakers as compassionate people, she never offers redemption to those that hurt the friends and acknowledges the traumas that will stay with the trio for a long time." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Ruby’s playful yet sage voice traces the events that brought her from her unspecified African savanna home to the mall where she and Ivan previously lived, and, at last, to the sanctuary. With her trademark blend of frankness and hope, Applegate details dire circumstances facing elephants in the wild, including climate change and poaching, while elucidating their fierce loyalty and highlighting, via the three protagonists’ unforgettable bond, myriad interspecies relationships." — Publishers Weekly
"An elephant glossary and Castelao’s charming, illustrated guide to elephant body language help immerse readers in Ruby’s world. Goofy, playful, and mischievous Ruby is fully dimensional, as she has shown her bravery during the many hardships of her young life. Applegate deftly tempers themes of grief and loss with compassion and humor as Ruby finds her place in the herd.... Certain to steal hearts." — Kirkus Reviews
"Features Applegate’s trademark verse-prose; appealing spot illustrations; and the hallmark themes of the series: adversity, trauma, friendship, resilience, and hope." — Horn Book Magazine
PRAISE FOR The One and Only Bob: "Good dog Bob. Great to have a best friend.” — Danny DeVito
"Bob proves to everyone (and finally himself) that there is a big heart in that tiny chest…and a brave one too. Applegate picks up where her Newbery Medal winner left off, and fans will be overjoyed to ride along in the head of lovable, self-deprecating Bob on his storm-tossed adventure. His wry doggy observations and attitude are pitch perfect." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Ricocheting between entertainment and poignancy, the dog’s musings on his past and present give way to an urgent chronicle of survival. Applegate deepens the suspense (while, ingeniously, amplifying the humor) with the appearance of Bob’s long-lost sister. The novel’s fluid meshing of loyalty, forgiveness, and trust will leave readers hoping that the author has more one-and-only stories to tell." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"In this story of true friendship, hope, and courage, Bob learns to appreciate and cherish those he loves. Driven by favorite characters from The One and Only Ivan, Bob’s story is delightfully heartfelt and adventurous. Castelao’s illustrations add additional beauty to the story. Readers will be lining up to read this sequel." — School Library Journal
"Explore[s] themes of forgiveness, redemption, and heroism. A playful canine glossary and expressive spot illustrations further enhance the appeal of this sequel." — The Horn Book
"Bob supplies a sharp, lively voice that young readers will enjoy. Fans of the first book will love catching up with cherished friends, and newcomers, too, will enjoy this heartfelt story of survival." — Booklist
"Much like Bob himself, this book has an appealing mix of frenetic energy and somber contemplation. Commentary on animal welfare and climate change is carefully woven into the narrative, giving readers food for thought but never overwhelming what is ultimately a tale of friendship and forgiveness." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Applegate writes that she was delighted when she heard DeVito would be the voice of Bob in the upcoming film adaptation of Ivan, and we agree: DeVito's voice is Bob’s. This is a heartfelt and entertaining listen." — Booklist (starred review of audio edition)
PRAISE FOR The One and Only Ivan: “Will capture readers’ hearts and never let go. A must have.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Animal-loving youngsters and their adults will find plenty of food for thought in Ivan’s extraordinary story.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Discover an animal hero that will take his place with other courageous and beloved animals such as Babe, Mrs. Frisby, Charlotte and Wilbur. Adults reading this aloud with children will find it just as rewarding.” — Shelf Awareness
“Important.” — The Horn Book
“The One and Only Ivan will break your heart—and then, against all odds, mend it again. Such a gentle fantasy is rare; such an evocation of our need to grow, to be free, to become our best selves, is rarer still. In cheering for Ivan and his friends, we cheer for our own humanity and our own possibilities. Read this.” — Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor author of The Wednesday Wars
“A beautifully written, intelligent and brave book. You will never look at the relationship of humans and animals in the same way again. Quite simply, this story is life changing.” — Patricia MacLachlan, Newbery Medal-winning author of Sarah, Plain and Tall
“Kindness, and its ability to change lives, shines through on every single page of this book. Through the eyes of a silverback gorilla, the one and only Ivan, we learn about the power of art, friendship and love. Katherine Applegate’s beautiful, life-affirming story will soar directly from Ivan’s heart into your own. Read it out loud. Read it alone. Read it.” — Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor author of The Underneath
“Both hearbreaking and uplifting, this brave, moving story is perfect for anyone who loves animals and has ever wondering what they think about life inside a cage.” — BookPage
2023-03-14
In this follow-up to 2020’s The One and Only Bob, Ruby the elephant is still living at Wildworld Zoological Park and Sanctuary.
She’s apprehensive about her Tuskday, a rite of passage for young elephants when she’ll give a speech in front of the rest of the herd. Luckily, she can confide in her Uncle Ivan, who is next door in Gorilla World, and Uncle Bob, the dog who lives nearby with human friend Julia. Ruby was born in an unspecified part of Africa, later ending up on display in the mall, where she met Ivan, Bob, and Julia. The unexpected arrival of someone from Ruby’s past life on the savanna revives memories both warmly nostalgic and deeply traumatic. An elephant glossary and Castelao’s charming, illustrated guide to elephant body language help immerse readers in Ruby’s world. Goofy, playful, and mischievous Ruby is fully dimensional, as she has shown her bravery during the many hardships of her young life. Applegate deftly tempers themes of grief and loss with compassion and humor as Ruby finds her place in the herd. The author’s note touches on climate change, the illegal ivory trade, and conservation efforts, but the highly emotive framing of the story through the memories of a bewildered baby elephant emphasizes the impact of lines such as “ ‘in Africa,’ I say softly, ‘there were bad people,’ ” without offering readers a nuanced understanding of the broader context that drives poaching.
Certain to steal hearts. (Fiction. 8-12)
