The One and Only Ruby
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!
From beloved powerhouse author Katherine Applegate comes The One and Only Ruby, starring the adorable baby elephant from the Newbery Medal-winning modern classic The One and Only Ivan and its bestselling sequel, The One and Only Bob.
Ruby’s story picks up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob. Now living in a wildlife sanctuary, Ruby’s caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa where she grew up is visiting. Seeing him again brings back a flood of memories both happy and sad of her life before the circus, and she recounts the time she spent in the African savannah to Ivan and Bob.
In the timeless way that only Katherine Applegate could craft, this highly anticipated novel in verse is the perfect mix of heartfelt and humorous, poignant and sweet. Artist Patricia Castelao returns to the world of Ivan and his friends with gorgeous black-and-white interior illustrations to complete the story.
The One and Only Ruby features first-person narrative; author's use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective).
This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 8, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom.
Don’t miss the film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan, now streaming on Disney+!
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Community Reviews
Short summary: In this story, we get to see the world through Ruby's eyes, a spunky baby elephant who has gone through more than most would believe in her short life. She has huge love for her Uncle Ivan and Uncle Bob, and now has even more of a family with her elephant aunts at the zoo. Elephants are known for their memories and here we see Ruby's whole story of how she ultimately ended up at the mall and now the zoo. Although it was mostly a heartbreaking story, there were so many great moments of joy as well.
I really enjoyed this story. The audiobook was beautiful as well. This is a story of family, love, loss, finding oneself and finding your tribe. There is just a perfect combination of humor, charm, and heartbreak. Even though she is a fictional character, you begin to feel for Ruby because there are probably so many real animals that have unfortunately gone through what she went through and it breaks my heart.
I think this is a wonderful book for middle-grade readers because weaved into an adorable story is the hard reality of the cruelty some humans inflict on these animals. There are important lessons to be learned through the adorable eyes of Ruby the elephant!
Quotes I love:
“My uncle Ivan is a gorilla. My uncle Bob is a dog. Families can be complicated” pg. 14
“Aunt Akello’s voice gets even softer when she is not happy with you. Somehow that makes her even scarier. Which is a pretty neat trick, if you think about it” pg. 20
“Elephant smiles are all in their eyes, the way bird smiles are all in their songs” pg. 23
“Before I fell asleep each night, Aunt Stella always had two questions for me… What amazed you today?…What made you proud today?” pg. 45
“But Jabori isn’t just any visitor. Jabori saved my life. He cared for me when I was just a tiny, orphaned baby” pg. 59
“When elephants walk, our heavy feet kick up all kinds of things, especially dirt and brush and grasses, where lots of insects live. Since cattle egrets love to eat bugs, when they stay near elephants, it’s like they’re at an all-day restaurant and we’re the cooks. In return, the cattle egrets squawk like crazy when they know a bad guy like a lion is coming. That gives the grown-up elephants time to gather their calves close so they can be extra protected” pg. 79
“A first friend is a true gift, because forever after, your heart knows what’s possible” pg. 84
“A sentinel is someone who looks out for you. It can be someone who’s part of your herd, of course, but it could be anyone. Sentinels can be your caretakers or your friends or your teachers or your neighbors. They look out for you. They understand you. They help you. Sentinels make you feel safe. Jabori was my sentinel” pg. 119
“You made Stella’s last days the happiest of her life. You were all the heard she ever needed” pg. 167
“I’d never lost her. She was here with me all along. I walk over to the stick in the ground and pat it gently with my trunk. Don’t worry, Aunt Stella. You taught me well. I got this” pg. 204
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