94 pages • 3 hours read
The One And Only Ivan
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During Reading
Reading Questions & Paired Texts
Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.
CHAPTERS 1-38
Reading Check
1. Which two animals are Ivan’s dearest friends?
2. What does Ivan throw at human visitors when he is bored?
3. Which of Ivan’s friends sneaks into his cage each night to spend time with him?
4. Who, in Stella’s story, protects a young boy after he falls into a zoo enclosure?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. Why does Ivan feel that his personality is at odds with the depiction of himself on the freeway sign? What is anger’s purpose in the life of a gorilla?
2. How does Stella’s size and personality compare to Ivan’s?
3. Why does Ivan feel a special connection to Julia? How does Julia’s depiction of Ivan compare to his description of her?
4. What are Ivan’s feelings toward Ruby when she first arrives? How does his opinion of Ruby change?
Paired Resource
- This article explores the intelligence of animals.
- A shared theme is The Relationship Between Animals and Humans.
- What can animals understand that humans have not previously been aware of? How are animals like gorillas able to communicate with humans? What thoughts and feelings might the real Ivan reasonably be able to share?
“Gorilla Rescue at Jersey Zoo ‘Just Part of the Job’”
- This article describes the incident in which Jambo the gorilla protected a young boy after he fell into the gorilla enclosure at the zoo.
- Shared themes include The Relationship Between Animals and Humans and The Importance and Challenges of Both Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication.
- Why were Jambo’s actions surprising to those who observed the interaction between the gorilla and the boy? How is Jambo’s behavior similar to Ivan’s behavior in the novel? What is Ivan able to understand about Jambo that humans cannot?
CHAPTERS 39-79
Reading Check
1. Which of the animals has succeeded in increasing business for the mall?
2. What prevents Stella from being able to perform in the circus at the mall?
3. Who confronts Mack after Stella’s death?
4. How many marks does Mack draw on the wall to mark the number of days Ivan has lived with humans?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What changes occur in Ivan’s memory as he interacts with Ruby?
2. How does Ruby’s experience with humans differ from Ivan’s experience? In what way does it contribute to their perspectives on humans?
3. What is the difference between Tag’s attitude toward capture and Ivan’s? How does this difference affect Ivan’s memory?
4. When does Ivan begin to view his domain as a cage? What does this indicate about Ivan’s perspective on his home?
Paired Resource
- This 4-minute video describes the life and character attributes of silverback gorillas.
- A shared theme is The Transformational Power of Friendship and Loyalty.
- How do silverback gorillas behave in gorilla troops? In what ways do gorillas communicate with one another? How does Ivan display a natural propensity toward protecting and caring for his troop?
CHAPTERS 80-116
Reading Check
1. What does Ivan hide his paintings in to prevent Mack from finding them?
2. What is the word Ivan spells out in his drawing of Ruby?
3. What does Bob call the training where Ruby is rewarded with treats and clicks?
4. What is the difference between Julia’s previous drawings of Ivan and her new drawing?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What is Ivan painting to assist Ruby in escaping the mall? How must Ivan overcome his limitations to do so?
2. How does the treatment of the animals directly correlate with Mack’s business?
3. What distinction does Ivan make between the mall, the zoo, and animals living in the wild? What does Ivan believe to be the best place for an animal?
4. Why does Ivan begin to behave like a “great silverback gorilla” because of his responsibility to Ruby?
Paired Resource
- This article explores the complicated process of releasing animals into the wild.
- Shared themes include The Relationship Between Animals and Humans and The Importance and Challenges of Both Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication.
- What problems may arise when captive animals are released into the wild? Why might zoos be a better alternative for animals like Ivan and Ruby? How might Bob’s experience in the wild differ from that of Ivan and Ruby?
CHAPTERS 117-153
Reading Check
1. What is the memento Mack brings with him when he says goodbye to Ivan?
2. Which of the gorillas does Ivan believe to be both beautiful and terrifying?
3. Who is Ivan able to see from his perch in the tree?
4. Who goes to live with Julia and George after Ivan is placed in the zoo?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What is the significance of Ivan’s description of Bob as “the One and Only Bob”?
2. What differences does Ivan observe between himself and Ruby when he speculates how she might have adjusted to the zoo? In what way does it inspire him to act?
3. Why is it difficult for Ivan to adjust to his new surroundings? What internal and external conflicts must Ivan address to acclimatize to his new surroundings?
Recommended Next Reads
The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate
- This sequel to The One and Only Ivan tells the story of Ivan’s friend Bob and his healing journey as he learns to trust humans again.
- Shared themes include The Relationship Between Animals and Humans and The Transformational Power of Friendship and Loyalty.
- Shared topics include unlikely heroes, healing, and courage.
- The One and Only Bob on SuperSummary
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
- This novel is about a boy forced to abandon his pet fox in the wild and their journey to reunite.
- Shared themes include The Relationship Between Animals and Humans and The Transformational Power of Friendship and Loyalty.
- Shared topics include tame versus wild, anthropomorphism, and human interference with nature.
- Pax on SuperSummary
Reading Questions Answer Key
CHAPTERS 1-38
Reading Check
1. Stella and Bob (Chapter 4)
2. Me-balls (dried dung) (Chapter 6)
3. Bob (Chapter 17)
7. Jambo (Chapter 31)
Short Answer
1. Ivan’s image is on the freeway sign advertising his presence at the Big Top Mall. In his depiction, Ivan is a mighty silverback who is angry. Ivan claims he is never angry because anger is used to protect others, and Ivan has no one to protect. (Chapter 5)
2. Ivan describes his friend Stella as older, wiser, and much larger than himself. He explains that Stella can remember details about her past that Ivan cannot remember. Stella later reveals that Ivan has blocked the memories of his past. Stella serves as a protector for the newest addition to the mall, Ruby. Ivan, in contrast to Stella, does not feel an immediate responsibility for Ruby. (Chapters 14-38)
3. Ivan believes he has a special connection to Julia because they share an interest in art. While Julia’s father cleans the mall each night, Julia sits near Ivan, and the two draw. Ivan describes Julia as a happy child with a “Half-moon smile” (Chapter 8), while Julia’s drawings of Ivan show him to be elegant but sad. Julia is the only individual who can identify what Ivan depicts in his drawings. (Chapters 23-28)
4. Initially, Ivan pities Ruby because she is afraid to enter the enclosure at the mall. Still, when Ruby gains more attention than Ivan from his friends Julia and Stella, he becomes jealous. Ivan explains that gorillas are incapable of moping for long and soon develops an appreciation for Ruby. (Chapters 35-36)
CHAPTERS 39-79
Reading Check
Short Answer
1. Ivan’s selective memory is hinted at earlier in the novel, but old memories surface in his mind as he interacts with Ruby more often. For example, when Ivan resists Ruby’s endless questions by pretending to sleep, he remembers his father doing something similar. Several other memories surface before Ruby prompts Ivan to remember his childhood to distract her from her loneliness. The more Ivan remembers, the more he recalls his former life as a gorilla. (Chapters 40-79)
2. Ivan’s reflections on past experiences with humans are not as forgiving as Ruby’s memories. Ruby recalls a time when humans assisted her after she fell into a pit. In stark contrast, Ivan remembers humans shooting his parents and severing their limbs. Ruby believes there are both good and bad humans, while Ivan’s experience has taught him that all humans are bad. (Chapters 45, 60-78)
3. Unlike Tag, Ivan is willing to accept his capture. Tag, being more resistant to her capture, dies in the cage. Because of this, Ivan has convinced himself that his survival depends on forgetting his past and accepting his present circumstances. (Chapters 60, 62)
4. Ivan’s renewed familiarity with his past prompts him to confront the reality of the neglectful and unappealing surroundings in which he lives. He first acknowledges that his “domain” is not a domain but a cage when Ruby worries about dying in her domain as Stella did. This significant acknowledgment marks Ivan’s growing anger toward those who took his family and placed him in such dire circumstances. This anger, which he had previously claimed not to feel, aids him in developing a solution to free Ruby. (Chapters 73, 78)
CHAPTERS 80-116
Reading Check
1. Not-Tag doll (Chapter 88)
2. Home (Chapter 92)
3. Clicker training (Chapter 112)
4. He’s smiling (Chapter 116)
Short Answer
1. Ivan attempts to create a painting that conveys the message for Ruby to be relocated to a zoo. He spends his days and nights painting the mural to communicate his need to Julia, a fellow artist he hopes will understand his message. In the process, Ivan must learn to paint something by visualizing it rather than having an image to work from—something he has admired Julia for in the past and claimed he could never do. Initially, Julia cannot decipher Ivan’s drawing, but her actions eventually catch the community’s attention when she realizes how important Ivan’s message is. (Chapters 87, 93-95, 99)
2. Mack’s mood and prosperity influence how he treats the animals. When the mall is prosperous, the animals are given everything they need to survive, but when the mall struggles, the treatment of the animals suffers. For example, when business at the mall slows down, Mack restricts the animals’ food and turns off the heat at night to save money. (Chapters 84, 90)
3. On several occasions, Ivan describes the mall as a prison or cage. He believes his present living situation to be the worst-case scenario for wild animals. Ivan believes the wild is the best location for wild animals, but zoos are a suitable alternative to the wild. (Chapter 86)
4. Earlier in the novel, Ivan describes a great silverback gorilla as responsible for protecting others. Because he had no one to protect, he did not identify himself with the silverback gorilla (Chapter 5). After Stella’s death, however, Ivan is tasked with removing Ruby from the mall so she will have a better life. Because Ivan acts as a protector to Ruby, he begins to behave like a silverback gorilla. One example of this behavior is when he beats his chest in anger because Julia is unable to decipher his painting, and he knows he must prevent Ruby from becoming a “One and Only.” (Chapters 96-97)
CHAPTERS 117-153
Reading Check
Short Answer
1. For Ivan, the phrase “the One and Only” has been synonymous with his loneliness as the only creature of his kind. Additionally, for Bob, it has served as a phrase to encourage Ivan to achieve the impossible. In this context, however, “the one and only Bob” signifies the importance and uniqueness of Bob and the significance of his friendship with Ivan. (Chapter 121)
2. Ivan wonders about Ruby’s adjustment to life in the zoo and reflects on her personality to conclude that her curiosity has likely caused her to embrace zoo life. This reflection inspires Ivan, who has been skittish about leaving his cage, to embrace his new surroundings. (Chapters 137-138)
3. Upon his arrival at the zoo, Ivan realizes his surroundings are not what he had envisioned for himself, as he is in a new cage that is cleaner but does not have any other animals. Internally, Ivan feels homesick as he misses his friends, food, and art. Externally, Ivan must overcome his timidity and learn to behave like a gorilla in the wild again. Ivan slowly confronts his internal and external struggles as he first pretends to be a gorilla by beating his chest. He eventually accepts his role as a silverback gorilla by adopting the other gorillas as his own troop. Accepting his role in the troop heals his internal struggles, and he now considers the gorillas his family and home. (Chapters 117-153)
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