Ivan: The Remarkable True Story Of The Shopping Mall Gorilla (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
I bought this as a Christmas gift to my kids, ages 6 and 11. On the inside cover I wrote the story I've told them many times of seeing Ivan at the B&I. I'll never forget how it felt to stand by a window peering in at him only to have him run by and slam the window as hard as he could and run off again. I was so glad when he was moved to Atlanta but it was sad to see the difficulty he had adjusting to his new zoo life. When I read this to the kids last night, I was a tearful mess by the time we finally made it to the end. I'll never forget Ivan, what he lost, and what he went through in his long life.This book is aimed at younger kids, so it glosses over the more difficult parts of the story. Still, it does tell about his companion Burma dying which may be a bit much for very young children. The back of the book gives much more detail about Ivan's life at the B&I shopping mall in Tacoma then the actual book does. As I read so many picture books, basically each day, and I already struggle recording the novels I read, I usually don't list them. but this book is just too special not to mention. I had cried over reading The One and Only Ivan - and this book, which tells his true story, the events on which the novel is based, deeply touched me and took me back to the novel, wanting to re-read it. G. Brian Karas has done an excellent job in capturing all in the illustrations. A very special book, indeed, and an absolute must for all Ivan fans.
What do You think about Ivan: The Remarkable True Story Of The Shopping Mall Gorilla (2014)?
Beautiful, heartwarming....a great companion to The One and Only Ivan.
—deb
I much prefer the chapter book "The One and Only Ivan".
—emonie
This story STILL brings tears to my eyes.
—Miss_Inde_pend_ent
