Books like The One and Only Ivan

Looking for books like The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (Middle Grade Animal Fiction · 570L · grades 3–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of animal welfare, captivity and freedom, and friendship across species. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 3–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The One and Only Ivan

Why each is a match

Wonder790L
Shares themes of empathy and a close reading level (790L vs 570L).
Refugee800L
Shares themes of empathy and a close reading level (800L vs 570L).
The War That Saved My Life580L
A close reading level (580L vs 570L) and the same era (2010s).
Fish in a Tree550L
A close reading level (550L vs 570L) and the same era (2010s).
Blended610L
A close reading level (610L vs 570L) and the same era (2010s).
Last Stop on Market Street610L
A close reading level (610L vs 570L) and the same era (2010s).
The Parker Inheritance610L
A close reading level (610L vs 570L) and the same era (2010s).
The Season of Styx Malone510L
A close reading level (510L vs 570L) and the same era (2010s).
Shiloh890L
Shares themes of animal welfare and overlapping grades (3–6).
Stone Fox550L
A close reading level (550L vs 570L).

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