The One And Only Bob by Katharine Applegate

I like The One And Only Bob by Katharine Applegate because it shows me that different animals can like animals that are not the same species as them. It can also means that animals can talk to species they have never met before. 

In the story Bob, Ivan, and Ruby all like talking to each other with the different sounds they make. Ivan is a gorilla, Bob is a chihuahua, and Ruby is an elephant! They love going on adventures with each other and going through good times and bad times. It can get so hard that they lose each other sometimes.

Review by Abigail

 

An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

An Elephant in the Garden is written by Michael Morpurgo.  You may know him as the author of War Horse, which was recently made into a movie.  This story is set in World War II Germany, in the city of Dresden, right before it is bombed by the Allied forces.  It is a tale of a family fleeing the city accompanied by an elephant, a young elephant, named Marlene, whom the family took home from the zoo to protect her from the bombing they knew was about to happen.  Along the way they come across a Canadian bomber who ejected from his plane when it was hit by the Germans.  Will they be able to help each other survive despite the positions their countries have taken as enemies?  I have always been fond of World War II stories.  I began reading them in school as a child, and have never really stopped.  This is a wonderful story inspired by true events.  Yes, the elephant really happened...  Enjoy!

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Jacobson

Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Jacobson is a gripping story about a boy named Jack, who is left at a campground in Maine by his mother.  He attempts to make it home to Boston by himself, and keeps the fact that his mother is gone a secret.  Two big problems are that he's only eleven years old and the campground is three states away from his home.  How will he survive with no place to sleep, no food, almost no money, and no adult to take care of him? I felt so sorry for Jack as I read this story and was touched by the love and understanding he had for his mother and her "spinning" problems.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is the 2013 Newbery winner.  I read it in just over two hours this morning.  It is a story told from the point of view of a gorilla named Ivan.  He lives in a cage in a mall, with an elephant friend Stella, and a small dog named Bob.  When a baby elephant, named Ruby is brought to the mall, Ivan makes a promise to Stella that he now must find a way to keep.  But how will he help Ruby to live with other elephants, so that she will not become a solitary elephant, the way he is the one and only Ivan?  Loosely based on true events in the life of Ivan, a real shopping mall gorilla, this book brought me to tears.  It would make a great read aloud for teachers and should be on all students' "must read" list.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate is a RICBA nominee of 2014. Ivan is a gorilla that used to live in the wild with his family. Now, he lives in a mall with other animals. There are some sad parts with his best friend Stella. Stella is an elephant. I loved the ending and I think you will too!

I liked the part when Ivan lives in a house with Mac and his wife. I liked this part because it is funny when a gorilla lives in a house. This book reminds me of animals I see locked in cages. Kids bother them by scaring the animals and hurting them. It also reminds me of when people play with animals. This is a great book I recommend it to animal lovers.

Reviewed by: #hashtag