The One and Only Bob
A #1 New York Times bestseller and a #1 Indie bestseller!
"Good dog Bob. Great to have a best friend.”—Danny DeVito
Return to the unforgettable world of the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling novel The One and Only Ivan in this incredible sequel, starring Ivan’s friend Bob! Catch up with these beloved friends before you see the star-studded film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan, now available on Disney+!
Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of his two best friends, Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.
Bob, Ivan, and Ruby have touched the hearts of millions of readers, and their story isn’t over yet. Catch up with these beloved friends before the star-studded film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan hits theaters in August 2020!
One and Only Bob is an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, embraced by new and old fans of Katherine Applegate's beloved One and Only Ivan. Great for summer reading or anytime! A Today show pick for “25 children’s books your kids and teens won’t be able to put down this summer!"
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, family, and hope.
The One and Only Bob 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.
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Community Reviews
Quick summary: In the second book in this series, we follow Bob, the stray dog who made a home on Ivan's big tummy and has now been adopted by Julia and her father. We learn about how Bob came to be where he is and what he had been through before arriving at the Big Top Mall. In this book, however, we also see a hurricane hit the zoo and we go on the adventure with Bob as he is swept away and taken to a shelter. Bob has to find the courage he never thought he had and in the process begins to learn the true meaning of friendship and family.
I absolutely loved this book, just like the rest in the series. This one definitely wasn't as heartbreaking as Ivan's and Ruby's story but it was still really interesting to see the world through a dog's perspective. Reading the book along with the audiobook gave it a great comical feel. The story also had some scary bits and ones where I was tearing up. This book really explored themes of friendship, forgiveness, family, hope, trust, and determination. Bob has learned a lot from Ivan and Stella while "living" at the mall but in this book he realizes that he has learned even more from his life experiences and maybe he is stronger and more of a leader than he realizes.
“The thing is, I would give anything to see my pal Ivan deep in the jungles of Africa, where he was born. Or to see Ruby running across the savanna with a heard of elephants, her big ol’ ears flapping in the wind. But it ain’t happening. I get that and so do they. When you’re an animal, it helps to be a realist” pg. 32
“And happy? Happy is the best, but there’s a touch of wistfulness around the edges. You’re going to love every minute of it, but you know it won’t last forever” pg. 42
“Families of all shapes and sizes and colors and genders and yep, they all seem to do just fine” pg. 90
“Dogs could care less. You think I won’t hang with a Dalmatian ‘cause he’s spotted? Or a sharpei ‘cause she’s wrinkled? I’ll always give a dog the benefit of the doubt. Life is short. Play is good. And there are plenty of tennis balls to go around” pg. 130
“I’m trying hard to find the forgiveness that seems to come so naturally to other dogs. Maybe that’s what Boss was getting at. Maybe it’s easier to forgive others once you’ve learned how to forgive yourself” pg. 327
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