The One and Only Ivan – By: Katherine Applegate (Children’s Fiction)

Here’s a great new book by the author of one of my favorite series as a child. It's centered on a gorilla who lives in captivity in a mall circus, who realizes that things have to change when a baby elephant is brought to the circus.

I loved that the narrator is Ivan, the way "he" tells this story is both witty and sad. As time goes by, it seems like our narrator becomes more eloquent as he finds his voice in the desire to act. While the book (somewhat heavy-handedly) pushes our responsibilities towards animals, I appreciate the sentiment wholeheartedly.  However, the story is also about the end of complacency and the need to act when we see a change worth making. Together, these two morals make a great story.

Bookwyrm Rating: Appetizer