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The One and Only Ivan: A Newbery Award Winner
The One and Only Ivan: A Newbery Award Winner
The One and Only Ivan: A Newbery Award Winner
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The One and Only Ivan: A Newbery Award Winner

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The #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan is now a major motion picture streaming on Disney+

This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself. 

Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create an unforgettable story of friendship, art, and hope.

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

This acclaimed middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 8, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom.

Plus don't miss The One and Only Bob, Katherine Applegate's return to the world of Ivan, Bob, and Ruby!

Editor's Note

On the screen…

“The One and Only Ivan” is loosely based on the true story of Ivan the gorilla who was kept captive in a shopping mall to entertain people. Book Ivan works to free a baby elephant named Ruby and himself from these cruel circumstances. The novel won the Newbery Medal, and the movie adaptation features Sam Rockwell, Angelina Jolie, and Danny DeVito as voice actors. The film is premiering on Disney+ (and doesn’t cost an extra $30 like the live-action version of “Mulan”).

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateJan 17, 2012
ISBN9780062101983
The One and Only Ivan: A Newbery Award Winner
Author

Katherine Applegate

Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including the One and Only series, the Endling series, Crenshaw, Wishtree, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter books series, and the Animorphs series. She lives with her family in Nevada.

Read more from Katherine Applegate

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Rating: 4.5396825396825395 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great. I read this as an adult and thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that I recommended it to my husband.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When I read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate my heart went out to Ivan. As a young gorilla he was taken from the wild, along with his sister, Tag, and brought in a box to America. Tag couldn't take being out of the wild, but Ivan decided to forget all about the wild. Forgetting helped him enjoy TV shows, yogurt covered raisins, and other human treats. It made me think about how hard it would be to be separated from my family and put in a totally different environment. I loved hearing Ivan’s thoughts and his opinions about what the humans were saying. Stella was so sweet, and I felt sorry for her and the pain she had to go through in or order to perform. Ruby enchanted me with her questions and curiosity. I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth grade and up. It is a book about friendship, risks, and thinking outside the box. This book is for anybody with a love for animals, art, or both. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The One and Only Ivan is partly based on a true story. It is a story that will make you feel all types of emotions before the book is finished! No, it is not just for kids! I loved it too. Very touching, sad, heartwarming, and read/listen with tissues. Narration was excellent!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow what a great story!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "Humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot.” Ivan, a silverback goilla. Ivan is the voice of the marvelous and touching story.

    Ivan, is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 off I 95, 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. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

    Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen, (he has a television in his domain), and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Ivan paintings are sold in the gift shop along with ashtrays made from gorilla hands. Life is pretty sad for a lonely gorilla.
    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.

    The story is based on an actually gorilla named Ivan.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The One and Only Ivan is a wonderful story that takes place on a farm called the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. On this farm, animals of different species are able to communicate with one another, though they can't talk to humans. One of these animals is Charlotte, an old elephant full of considerable wisdom. And there is Ruby, a curious pig who seeks companionship from the other animals, but is quickly dismissed by all but Charlotte. Charlotte takes Ruby into her care. When the other animals realize that Ruby is being raised for the slaughter, they rally to save her. Eventually, Charlotte reaches the end of her life, so she magically transfers all her wisdom to a silverback gorilla named Ivan. Ivan is very talented: he can spin a web that spans the globe as though he were a giant spider. Despite being an ape who talks with geese, bears, and sheep, Ivan cannot speak to the humans, so he uses the worldwide web to express his concern for Ruby. 'TERRIFIC,' he writes in one. 'HOME PIG,' he writes in another… I’ll stop there to avoid spoiling the story.In addition to the main characters, there’s a dog named Templeton who obsesses over eating… or was it sleeping? He’s there mostly to give a few chuckles to a mostly sad story. Also, there’s a little girl named Julia… or was it Fern? And there are some sheep and a parrot that are mostly in the background, providing a little dialogue or comedy when needed… though it may have been a sun bear and a goose… I get confused.The One and Only Ivan is a wholly original story unlike any other. I liked it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    LOVED this book. Sad at times, lovely - including the illustrations. Really makes you feel the story!

    Reading this with our first-grader... Oh man, already made me cry a few times.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved this book! It has an interesting story, moving and lovable characters, and a great ending. I also love the way this book was written from Ivan's (the gorilla's) perspective. His insight on human behavior is eye opening... Really makes you think.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Written from the point of view of Ivan, a silverback gorilla living in an animal park-themed mall, this novel has an amazing amount of heart. Ivan, captured when he was a baby, has lived most of his life alone in a cage, his friends being an elephant tied in cage next to him, a small stray dog that likes to sleep on his chest, and a young girl who shares Ivan's enjoyment of art and bring crayons and paper for him to draw on. Telling the story from Ivan's point of view is brilliantly done and the story is sad and sweet and funny all at once. It's a great middle grade book, one that can be appealing to not only any grade schoolers, but also adults.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ivan, the silverback gorilla, lives at the Big Top Mall Circus with his friends Stella and Bob. This heartwarming story is written from the view of Ivan. He has lived 27 years behind the walls of his domain accustomed to humans watching him. He spends his time talking to his friends, painting, and eating junk food. When baby Ruby comes to circus he is forced to think about his past and save Ruby from the mistreatment she will endure. This book is a work of fiction but is based on a true story. This book takes you from ripping your heart into pieces to filling your heart with joy. Applegate does a wonderful job depicting the elegance and strength of a gorilla. This book has some heavy material for children of the recommended age range, I would recommend for ages 8 and up.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This story is heartwarming and brilliant. I couldn't put it down. Ivan's friendship with Ruby is one of a kind. The author described the life of lonely circus animals well. I would highly recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A sweet story of determination and friendship for animal lovers of all ages. Young teens would love this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This story has a really wonderful message and totally lovable characters. I would have rated it 5 stars had it not been so depressing and sad. That being said it was depressing and sad (and optimistic) in all the very right ways.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ivan is a very artistic gorilla that was taken from his home to a mall to be the main attraction. Stella, Snickers, and Thelma are also there. Stella is an elephant who is placed in a show with Snickers, a poodle. Bob is a stray dog. Thelma is a blue and yellow macaw. Ivan's friends are Stella, Julia, and Bob. Mack and George are the mall owners and Julia is George's daughter. Stella is a very old elephant and has a bad ankle therefore she soon passes away but before then a baby elephant, Ruby, arrives. Ivan promises Stella that he will protect Ruby. Ivan has the idea to paint the type of billboard he wants and to give to Julia. His painting says HOME on it and has a zoo on it as well. George and Julia make the new billboard and Julia calls the local paper. The local paper takes pictures of the type of environment that the animals live in and people protest. The protestors think that the animals should be put into zoos. Later, a woman comes with big boxes for Ruby and Ivan. She is suppose to take Ruby and Ivan away, separately. At first Ruby and Ivan don't know where they are going but when they get there they realize it is a zoo. Ivan is only in a gorilla area so he doesn't know where Ruby is. As he wanders around his area he climbs to the highest point where he sees many other animals, including elephants. He sees Ruby. He kept his promise to Stella. Julia and George are taking care of Bob and George has a job at the zoo. Mack still owns the mall but with no more animals. I was very pleased with this book. It had a happy ending which I always like and some of it was true, which I always like. It was somewhat sad but what book isn't a little sad. Overall this is a great book and I recommend it for anyone!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A moving and inspiring novel, based on a true story, the chronicles the experiences of a gorilla who is a sort of sideshow attraction in a mall loosely based around the idea of a circus. As a silverback, he has no one to protect until a baby elephant is brought in to attract more customers. But can he protect and save Ruby from the life he and his fellow animals have led? Winner of the 2013 Newbery Award. This title is one that has literary merit AND appeal; I flew through it in two sittings. I'd read this with some tissues, too.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate earned the 2013 Newbery award. Narrated by a lowland gorilla, Ivan, it's the story of how he helps save a baby elephant from a life of captivity in a strip mall circus.Applegate, best known for the Animorphs series, gives Ivan a simple, matter of fact way of speaking that brings to mind the recorded sign language conversations of Koko the gorilla. He recounts both his childhood and as well as the present time, where Ruby arrives.Together with Ivan's narration, there are beautiful illustrations by Patricia Castelao. ALthough there is an audio book, I opted for print this time because the book is just crying out for pictures and text together. As the book is so short and so heavily illustrated, it would do well as a class read along.The book would also make an excellent animated film. In that regard, children who enjoyed Curious George 2: Follow that Monkey! will enjoy this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ivan is a silverback gorilla who has lived for many years in a tawdry shopping mall that tries to lure customers with their gorilla, elephant, and a few smaller animals on exhibit in tiny cages. Ivan is the narrator.Over the years, Ivan has grown to accept his life as just the way it is, and he passively makes the best of it. His friend Stella the elephant, remembers better places and better times, so she is perpetually sad. And when a baby elephant is brought to the mall, Stella makes Ivan promise that he will not let Ruby live out her life in a tiny cage the way she did. Ivan promises.Bob is a stray dog who sneaks into Ivan's cage every night, and is his good friend. His one human friend is Julia, the night janitor's daughter, who visits Ivan, and they share artwork, for both Julia and Ivan like to draw and paint. It is Ivan's artwork that finally gives him an idea of how he can fulfill his promise to Stella.Sad and happy, sweet and beautiful.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Summary: This book is about a gorilla named Ivan. Ivan is in a non traveling circus. He becomes friends with an elephant that has an infection and a new baby elephant that is brought into the circus. The bigger elephant dies, but just before her and Ivan promise to get a better life for the baby elephant. Personal reaction: I loved this book! It was sad, but had a good story line and outcome. It makes you think twice about circus animals. Great book for all children. Classroom extension:1.) Go through the vocabulary that is in the glossary at the beginning of the book. 2.) Class discussion of circus animals.3.) Coloring pages of circus animals.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ivan, a silverback gorilla lives in a non-travelling circus. There he is known as the 'One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback Gorilla.' He has here for 27 years in his little habitat with concrete floors, three glass walls, one wall in the back a mural of a jungle. He once lived in the wild, but he tries not to think about that. The owner of the circus is Mack, the man who takes care of all the animals there. Julia is the janitor's daughter. She 'talks' with Ivan every day. Julia gave Ivan his first piece of paper and crayon. Ivan is a self proclaimed artist. However, he can only draw what he sees, not anything imaginary. Bob is the street dog, Ivan's friend. Stella is an elephant who is in the cage next to Ivan. Stella preforms many times a day. She is wise and caring. She also has an infected foot which will become important later. The circus is going bankrupt. One of the few things that keep it running is Ivan's drawing which are sold for 20 dollars. (25 plus frame as Ivan says a lot in the book.) One day, Mack buys a baby elephant named Ruby, also a once wild animal. Stella takes care of Ruby, comforts her and everything. Ivan also becomes Ruby's friend. Over the days, Stella's foot becomes increasingly worse. She dies of infection. On her dying breath, Stella made Ivan promise that he will get a better life for Ruby, so she doesn't end up like her. Ivan promises her, not knowing how he will save Ruby. As you might have guessed, the next day everyone was devastated. Ruby now has to preform in Stella's place. At night, Ruby has nightmares and Ivan has to comfort her, tell her stories and jokes. It is in one of these stories when we learn his background. He lived Africa with his gorilla family. Then, he was named Mud. Not a very pretty name, but there was a reason behind his name. He had loved to draw using mud. Quoting the book: "I drew on rocks and bark and my poor mother's back." His sister's name was Tag, a nimble gorilla. One day the humans came and killed their parents. They put them in crates and shipped them to wherever in the world. On the way, Tag died. Mack opened that crate. Mack raised Ivan like a human baby. Ivan went to grocery stores, circuses, baseball games, and many more places. Mack had a wife back then. One day, they got a divorce. Soon, Ivan grew too big to live as a human. He was put in the circus that Mack owned. Soon after he told his story, Ivan got an idea. He drew a huge mural that showed him and Ruby in the zoo, with the word HOME. This made other people very interested in Ivan's living conditions. After some protests, Ivan and Ruby were put into a zoo where they are still living happily today. Also, Bob got adopted by Julia and her family. In the author's note it mentions that Ivan is real and did once live in a circus with horrible conditions. Today he is living in the same zoo he got sent to in the book. However, the rest of the characters are works of fiction.I loved this book! The style it was written in was fantastic! The characters had great personalities. It was also had many humorous details. I will say it again, I really liked this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Summary: "The One and Only Ivan" is a novel by Katherine Applegate. In this novel, Ivan is a silverback gorilla who lives in a stationary circus. Ivan is good friends with the other animals in the circus, especially Stella the elephant and Bob, a stray dog. When Stella dies, Ivan makes a promise to save her young friend, Ruby, from a life of captivity. It takes some time, but Ivan and Ruby are eventually moved to a zoo.Personal Reaction: very heart warming book!Classroom Extension: I would have the children write a short essay about what they would like to be in a circus.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In this Newbery Award winning book, Ivan is the narrator of this story. Ivan is a gorilla living in a solitary cage in a zoo themed mall. Through series of short sentences grouped in thematic page-long chapters, Ivan describes his growing discontent for his life at the mall and his blunt observations of human treatment of animals. This tragic, hopeful and inspirational story is based on a real gorilla that lived in a zoo themed mall, which is discussed in the back matter of the book. Applegate’s non-traditional narrating and writing heightens the power and intensity of the story being told. Though Ivan’s story is beyond tragic, the brevity of writing make the narrative digestible for many audiences. Children will likely be absorbed by Ivan and his amazing story, while adults may be deeply touched by the depictions of human cruelty. This would be an excellent book for high school book clubs, or middle school class readings. The content of this book should be considered prior to recommending to emotional or sensitive children. This book is highly recommended as a purchase for a public or school library. (Ages 8-15).
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I think this may have been a story that needs to be read in a book with pictures. The audio version did not do it justice. It also seemed rather sad for a child's story. I think it's interesting that it is based on a real story, and I really wanted to like it, but it just fell short for me. I felt bad for the characters in the cages, for Stella, Ruby, Ivan and even for the owner Mack.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This title came to my notice via y friend Spedbug tumbled onto this at the urging of another friend. I am grateful to both.This is a work of fiction, about a silverback gorilla, living in a sideshow tourist trap, and the family he creates there. I remember when gorilla this was based on was rescued from the place he'd lived (Oregon maybe) back in the 90's. At the time, it struck me how awful it must have been for him to have lived something like 34 years never seeing another gorilla. I was only a few years older than Ivan at the time, rich in love, family, health, and friends. The thought of not having those elements in my life was so horrific I wept. But Ivan's story (the real one) got better, because he was moved to the Atlanta Zoo, and was the darling there until his death last year. When I heard about his passing, I felt as if a friend had gone out of my life.I am overjoyed that the story of Ivan, though fictionalized, is captured in this book. For Iva, as portrayed in this book, is not only the one and only, but he is kind and wise.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ivan, a silverback gorilla, lives at the Big Top Mall and Video arcade. Its a small, run down shopping center right off the highway. His friends Stella the elephant and Bob the dog live there as well. None of them draws a crowd anymore, so Mack, the manager, decides it's time for a new attraction: a new baby elephant named Ruby. The three older animals treat Ruby as a new member of their family. Soon after her arrival, they agree that the life they are living is not the life Ruby should have. They must find a way to get her out.I thought the story was kind of interesting but the overall book was not exceptionally good in my opinion. It was written as if you were in Ivan's head listening to his thoughts. This meant that the story was not written in paragraph form; sometimes it wasn't even written in complete sentences. This made it hard for me to concentrate on the story and at times made the book hard to follow. After reading many reviews and hearing about this book from other people, I expected to read a life-changing, moving book. My expectations were high and this book did not live up to them. I would recommend the book to younger readers who are animal lovers.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Even though the story is written in a very simple manner, it deals with complex issues and emotions surrounding animals in captivity. Matters such as moral ambiguity and overcoming present & past obstacles are addressed maturely, accessibly, and actually rather realistically. The short sections make it an incredibly easy read, but at points this structure become redundant, frequently ending on a quote that is waxing profound. The subject matter is heavy at times for the recommended age range, but the tragic moments help magnify the power of the conclusion, making this a story that really sticks with you.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had mixed feelings about The One and Only Ivan. Firstly, I thought the point of view was interesting. The book was told from the inner thoughts of a gorilla who was raised in captivity at a young age. The reader gets to see Ivan’s deepest, innermost thoughts (well as deep as a gorilla can get). As a reader, it was very interesting and gave great insight into Ivan’s character. Personally, I found it hard at times to read his short sporadic thoughts. They made sense because he was a gorilla, but at times it was too animal-like for my liking. I liked the character development. The book went into details about each characters background and life before they were brought to Big Top Mall and caged up. This made the book very emotional and personable. Reading about the animals’ backgrounds, most of which were very sad, created a strong bond between the reader and character. The main idea is keeping your word and being the best version of yourself. When Stella asked Ivan to get Ruby out of big top mall, he promised without realizing it was a nearly impossible feat. Ivan persevered through a long slow process, but in the end, he was able to fulfill his silverback’s promise. The book highlights the bond of friends, family, and promises.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    ‘The One and Only Ivan’ is a heartwarming story about a silverback gorilla that lives in captivity for most of his life. Ivan is the main attraction at the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Having been captive since his youth, Ivan lives in a cage which is initially refers to as his ‘domain.’ But when Ivan meets Ruby, a baby elephant who comes to join the performance lineup at the Big Top Mall, Ivan realizes just how confining his ‘domain’ really is. In a touching moment of compassion, Ivan promises his good friend, Stella, an adult elephant who is dying, that he will protect Ruby and keep her from harm. After that, Ivan utilizes his tenacity and ingeniousness to make a better life for Ruby. This story is a compassionate one, and leads me to realize how man has a responsibility to treat captive animals with respect and to provide an appropriate home for them. I heartily recommend the novel, and think that young and old might enjoy it just as well.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ivan, a silverback gorilla, spends decades as the main attraction in a small mall, with his friend Stella, the ex-circus elephant, and Bob, the mutt. Then Ruby, a baby elephant arrives, and Ivan promises Stella that Ruby will not end up as she has. The story goes as you would expect, but the telling is directed more towards adults. Inspired by an actual mall gorilla that the author has written about in another book for children.Recommended as long as you are OK with children's books on the melancholy side.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Very cute.Ivan is a circus performer in the smallest Big Top in the world also known as the exit 8 Big Top mall and video arcade, home of the one and only Ivan, mighty silverback. When newcomer baby elephant Ruby arrives to bring in more customers, Ivan and his elephant neighbor Stella immediately take parental guardianship over her. But when Stella's mangled feet become so infected that she ends up passing away, Ivan is left with a promise he made to her... get Ruby out of there. But how in the world can Ivan and Ruby escape to the zoo? Can they make it and keep his promise to Stella or is it all just a pipe dream?This book is written in a very choppy manner. But I understand why the author decided to do so. it is really geared towards a younger crowd and being written in the way that it does makes it easier for younger readers to follow the storyline. It is written from the point of view of Ivan the silverback gorilla which would also make it very fun for younger readers to try to see through the eyes of an animal.This book brings up a lot of emotion. It is very heavy in the fact that it brings up issues with wild animals and the question of their captivity in to spectrum. It also deals with the actual capture of wild animals itself and how brutal and disgusting it can be. However even though you are faced with these issues throughout the story you are still left with a happy ending. Which I think is best for younger readers.I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were very adorably written and the issues though very tragic made for an even happier ending. Delightfully entertaining. I would definitely recommend it to preteens and up.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The only problem I had with this book was that it was hard to read aloud to the kiddos when I was tearing up on every other page. Such a great story - such beautiful characters. Perfection.Sophia rating - 4/5David rating - 5/5Mommy rating - 5/5

Book preview

The One and Only Ivan - Katherine Applegate

hello

I am Ivan. I am a gorilla.

It’s not as easy as it looks.

names

People call me the Freeway Gorilla. The Ape at Exit 8. The One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback.

The names are mine, but they’re not me. I am Ivan, just Ivan, only Ivan.

Humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot.

Everyone knows the peels are the best part.

I suppose you think gorillas can’t understand you. Of course, you also probably think we can’t walk upright.

Try knuckle walking for an hour. You tell me: Which way is more fun?

patience

I’ve learned to understand human words over the years, but understanding human speech is not the same as understanding humans.

Humans speak too much. They chatter like chimps, crowding the world with their noise even when they have nothing to say.

It took me some time to recognize all those human sounds, to weave words into things. But I was patient.

Patient is a useful way to be when you’re an ape.

Gorillas are as patient as stones. Humans, not so much.

how I look

I used to be a wild gorilla, and I still look the part.

I have a gorilla’s shy gaze, a gorilla’s sly smile. I wear a snowy saddle of fur, the uniform of a silverback. When the sun warms my back, I cast a gorilla’s majestic shadow.

In my size humans see a test of themselves. They hear fighting words on the wind, when all I’m thinking is how the late-day sun reminds me of a ripe nectarine.

I’m mightier than any human, four hundred pounds of pure power. My body looks made for battle. My arms, outstretched, span taller than the tallest human.

My family tree spreads wide as well. I am a great ape, and you are a great ape, and so are chimpanzees and orangutans and bonobos, all of us distant and distrustful cousins.

I know this is troubling.

I too find it hard to believe there is a connection across time and space, linking me to a race of ill-mannered clowns.

Chimps. There’s no excuse for them.

the exit 8 big top mall and video arcade

I live in a human habitat called the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. We are conveniently located off I-95, with shows at two, four, and seven, 365 days a year.

Mack says that when he answers the trilling telephone.

Mack works here at the mall. He is the boss.

I work here too. I am the gorilla.

At the Big Top Mall, a creaky-music carousel spins all day, and monkeys and parrots live amid the merchants. In the middle of the mall is a ring with benches where humans can sit on their rumps while they eat soft pretzels. The floor is covered with sawdust made of dead trees.

My domain is at one end of the ring. I live here because I am too much gorilla and not enough human.

Stella’s domain is next to mine. Stella is an elephant. She and Bob, who is a dog, are my dearest friends.

At present, I do not have any gorilla friends.

My domain is made of thick glass and rusty metal and rough cement. Stella’s domain is made of metal bars. The sun bears’ domain is wood; the parrots’ is wire mesh.

Three of my walls are glass. One of them is cracked, and a small piece, about the size of my hand, is missing from its bottom corner. I made the hole with a baseball bat Mack gave me for my sixth birthday. After that he took the bat away, but he let me keep the baseball that came with it.

A jungle scene is painted on one of my domain walls. It has a waterfall without water and flowers without scent and trees without roots. I didn’t paint it, but I enjoy the way the shapes flow across my wall, even if it isn’t much of a jungle.

I am lucky my domain has three windowed walls. I can see the whole mall and a bit of the world beyond: the frantic pinball machines, the pink billows of cotton candy, the vast and treeless parking lot.

Beyond the lot is a freeway where cars stampede without end. A giant sign at its edge beckons them to stop and rest like gazelles at a watering hole.

The sign is faded, the colors bleeding, but I know what it says. Mack read its words aloud one day: COME TO THE EXIT 8 BIG TOP MALL AND VIDEO ARCADE, HOME OF THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, MIGHTY SILVERBACK!

Sadly, I cannot read, although I wish I could. Reading stories would make a fine way to fill my empty hours.

Once, however, I was able to enjoy a book left in my domain by one of my keepers.

It tasted like termite.

The freeway billboard has a drawing of Mack in his clown clothes and Stella on her hind legs and an angry animal with fierce eyes and unkempt hair.

That animal is supposed to be me, but the artist made a mistake. I am never angry.

Anger is precious. A silverback uses anger to maintain order and warn his troop of danger. When my father beat his chest, it was to say, Beware, listen, I am in charge. I am angry to protect you, because that is what I was born to do.

Here in my domain, there is no one to protect.

the littlest big top on earth

My neighbors here at the Big Top Mall know many tricks. They are an educated lot, more accomplished than I am.

One of my neighbors plays baseball, although she is a chicken. Another drives a fire truck, although he is a rabbit.

I used to have a neighbor, a sleek and thoughtful seal, who could balance a ball on her nose from dawn till dusk. Her voice was like the throaty bark of a dog chained outside on a cold night.

Children wished on pennies and tossed them into her plastic pool. They glowed on the bottom like flat copper stones.

The seal was hungry one day, or bored, perhaps, so she ate one hundred pennies.

Mack said she’d be fine.

He was mistaken.

Mack calls our show The Littlest Big Top on Earth. Every day at two, four, and seven, humans fan themselves, drink sodas, applaud. Babies wail. Mack, dressed like a clown, pedals a tiny bike. A dog named Snickers rides on Stella’s back. Stella sits on a stool.

It is a very sturdy stool.

I don’t do any tricks. Mack says it’s enough for me to be me.

Stella told me that some circuses move from town to town. They have humans who dangle on ropes twining from the tops of tents. They have grumbling lions with gleaming teeth and a snaking line of elephants, each clutching the limp tail in front of her. The elephants look far off into the distance so they won’t see the humans who want to see them.

Our circus doesn’t migrate. We sit where we are, like an old beast too tired to push on.

After our show, humans forage through the stores. A store is where humans buy things they need to survive. At the Big Top Mall, some stores sell new things, things like balloons and T-shirts and caps to cover the gleaming heads of humans. Some stores sell old things, things that smell dusty and damp and long forgotten.

All day, I watch humans scurry from store to store. They pass their green paper, dry as old leaves and smelling of a thousand hands, back and forth and back again.

They hunt frantically, stalking, pushing, grumbling. Then they leave, clutching bags filled with things—bright things, soft things, big things—but no matter how full the bags, they always come back for more.

Humans are clever indeed. They spin pink clouds you can eat. They build domains with flat waterfalls.

But they are lousy hunters.

gone

Some animals live privately, unwatched, but that is not my life.

My life is flashing lights and pointing fingers and uninvited visitors. Inches away, humans flatten their little hands against the wall of glass that separates us.

The glass says you are this and we are that and that is how it will always be.

Humans leave their fingerprints behind, sticky with candy, slick with sweat. Each night a weary man comes to wipe them away.

Sometimes I press my nose against the glass. My noseprint, like your fingerprint, is the first and last and only one.

The man wipes the glass and then I am gone.

artists

Here in my domain, I do not have much to do. You can only throw so many me-balls at humans before you get bored.

A me-ball is made by rolling up dung until it’s the size of a small apple, then letting it dry. I always keep a few on hand.

For some reason, my visitors never seem to carry any.

In my domain, I have a tire swing, a baseball, a tiny plastic pool filled with dirty water, and even an old TV.

I have a stuffed

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