# The One and Only Ivan

**Author:** Katherine Applegate
**Lexile:** 570L
**Grade range:** Grades 3–7
**Age range:** 8–12
**First published:** 2012
**Page count:** 320
**Genre:** Middle Grade Animal Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780061992254`
**ISBN-10:** `0061992259`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-one-and-only-ivan
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Ivan, a silverback gorilla, lives in a mall enclosure with an elephant and a stray dog. Inspired by a real captive gorilla at a Tacoma mall, Applegate's 2013 Newbery Medal winner is a fixture of 3-5 grade read-alouds and a near-default text for empathy + animal-welfare units.

## Themes

- animal welfare
- captivity and freedom
- friendship across species
- empathy
- art and storytelling

## Content notes

- death of animal companion
- captivity

Common Sense Media age recommendation: 9+

## Where this book is assigned

### Common Core State Standards (ELA)

- **recommended** · 3rd grade — [source: CCSS ELA grades 2-3 Newbery Medal 2013](https://achievethecore.org/page/2699)
- **recommended** · 4th grade — [source: CCSS ELA grades 4-5 Newbery Medal animal fiction](https://achievethecore.org/page/2699)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Washington — [source: WA OSPI grade 4 — Tacoma-set Newbery winner](https://www.k12.wa.us/)
- **recommended** · 5th grade — [source: CCSS ELA grades 4-5 read-aloud exemplar](https://achievethecore.org/page/2699)

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