Elephant Ruby is about to celebrate her Tuskday, a celebration of the emergence of her tusks and a sign that she is growing up. However, Ruby doesn't want to celebrate her tusks. She hates her tusks. Ruby remembers her brief time in Africa and faces painful memories. She also remembers her friend Stella.

I was so excited to read this novel -- finally we get Ruby's story!! If you haven't read Ivan, I highly recommend starting there as I think it's the best of the series. But this one was powerful and heartwarming. I love Ruby!

One of my favorite elements in this series is the writing style, and Applegate continues it in beautiful ways in this book. The short chapters are powerful and full on wisdom. The illustrations of Ruby and her family and friends are so fun too! I think the clever titles of each chapter are great additions as well and sometimes say just as much if not more than the words that follow. This book is a quick read because of this style with fewer words that are very poignant and powerful. The writing is absolutely beautiful! As Ruby shares her story, I could see the different places she lived -- walking for water with her mother and herd, drinking from a bottle for the first time, experiencing fear and fire, special moments with Stella in the mall, and grappling with her tusks because of her past. I felt transported to Ruby's world and experiences.

Ruby is a delightful protagonist and I loved getting to know her better. She was a favorite of mine in the original book so it was really fun to learn about her present and her past. Some of her story is tragic and overwhelming. Other parts are full of joy and friendship. I loved getting her story although I would have liked more details in several parts like what happened to Jarobi after the fire and more interactions with him. I appreciated her conflicting feelings about tusks and Tuskday. I was reminded of how young she is and how much she has had to experience -- so many difficult things! But I was so proud of her courage and strength in the end.

I really enjoyed several of the elephant maxims/bits of wisdom especially about having courage, wonder, gratitude, and kindness. The questions that Aunt Stella and then Aunt Akello have Ruby ponder were quite lovely and definitely worth pondering daily for myself too. I love the idea that an elephant needs other elephants to be complete. I think people are a lot like that too. At times, this book felt a bit preachy. I love elephants and certainly want them to to protected and cared for. But sometimes, this novel seemed more about elephant poaching and the drawbacks of living in captivity instead of the friendship and love that made The One and Only Ivan so meaningful and unique. This didn't take too much away from the story for me. But it made me pause several times and broke the spell of the story for me.

Overall, a fun addition to the Ivan series. If you've read Ivan, I think this is definitely worthwhile. Ruby is a lovable character and her resilience and courage are fantastic!

I have taught a unit with the One and Only Ivan many times over recent years and it is an incredible novel. The follow up novel, The One and Only Bob was also excellent and as the third installment in this series, The One and Only Ruby follows suit of being excellent. I can not wait to use all three books in my classroom. This novel focuses on Ruby's life, both before her arrival at the mall circus and after her arrival at the zoo. This book teaches readers about how families can all look different and the importance of taking care of our world. It is a light read of heavy topics. There are lessons from this book that I will integrate into my teaching and parenting life. I love Stella's daily questions for Ruby and have been trying to ask myself and children them more often as they certainly make for better conversations and better personal development. "What amazed you today?" and "What made you proud?"

I absolutely adored hearing Ruby's story and just wanted to give her a big comforting hug! Applegate does such a good job bringing to light the reality for these elephants. Kids who love animals will really enjoy this story.

She's done it again! Katherine Applegate delivers a thoughtful, moving middle-grade novel written in verse. The story is told by Ruby, who you will know if you read the first book The One and Only Ivan. She is a little elephant who has just recently come to live in a wildlife sanctuary. You'll be happy to know her close friends "Uncle Ivan" and "Uncle Bob" are close by and still a part of her life. In fact, she is surrounded by people/animals who love, care for, and support her. This is a good thing because she has a lot to deal with: grief from the past and fear of the future being two main themes. This novel teaches and touches us all through its powerful words and the truth behind them.
*I very much appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC of this beautiful book.

Ruby is not looking forward to her Tuskday, a ceremony to celebrate that an elephant is growing up. She shares memories of the time when she lived in Africa with her friends Ivan and Bob, revealing the heart-breaking story which has led her to dislike her tusks. With the help of her friends and elephant family she is able to heal and find her courage. Those many students who have read and enjoyed The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Ruby will be excited to see this newest title. Written from the perspective of an elephant and providing insight into the dangers elephants face.

This is the third book in this trilogy, the first 2 were the stories of Ivan and Bob. My kids and I all love this series and couldn’t wait to read this one, it was just as well written as the previous two. I would love to see more about these animals! Katherine Applegate is one of our favorite authors as well, highly recommend anything written by her!

Readers may be familiar with Ruby from previous books, but this one allows Ruby to tell her story. While this book gives some great background about Ruby, it doesn't feel much different from the books about Bob or Ivan. However, readers will definitely be excited to get their hands on The One and Only Ruby and gobble it up as quickly as they can! Applegate knows her audience and has worked hard to develop these characters that quickly find their way into readers' hearts.

The One and Only Ruby, told from the perspective of a young elephant, is the perfect story for young readers. It addresses large global issues in a respectful, kid-friendly way, without demeaning the significance of these issues. Ruby's voice pleads for a change in how we treat elephants in the wild, and opens up opportunities for honest discussions with children about the impact humans have on nature. This will absolutely become a new read aloud in my second grade classroom. Brilliantly done.

I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
Writing this with tears in my eyes. Applegate again brings us back into the world with Ivan and Bob to tell Ruby's story. Readers will continue to be delighted that she is in a park and part of a herd. She also spends time each day with Ivan, Bob and Kinyani. Though not there, Stella is very much an important par of this story. Ruby is approaching her Tuskday when she becomes an adult. As she reveals her story, readers understand why this is not a day she wants to celebrate. Applegate's tender touch is well known when she creates and expands on her worlds. She continues to reveal more about her characters and allows them to grow and still remember their pasts. By the end, Ruby has figured out how to accept her tusks and realizes how much Stella remains in her heart.
I already have readers waiting to check this out. A welcome addition to libraries.

Katherine Applegate writes meaningful books for all ages. The One and Only Ruby offers a look at what elephants can teach us.

The One and Only Ruby, by Katherine Applegate, is a cute middle school read. If you enjoyed The One And Only Ivan by Applegate, you will love this one too! Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love most books by Katherine Applegate. This one is so enjoyable. Ruby is such a delight and this book driven plays up her playfulness.

I loved the third installment of this series. Hearing Ruby’s POV and her story was magical. I also learned a lot about elephants while reading this book.

Katherine Applegate delivers the once again with her latest heartfelt story, The One and Only Ruby, a companion story in the One and Only Ivan series.

I first fell in love with Ivan and then Bob. Ruby was such an endearing character and I loved hearing her story. Not just for children, this one is sure to become a classic and will be loved by all ages.

A hearty thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy of this fantastic story that is due to publish May 2, 2023. This is my honest review and the opinions expressed are my own.

Another classic by Katherine Applegate! Loved the connections to the other stories and the story throughout! The shorter chapters made it harder to follow on an e-reader but will be perfect for school read alouds!

I thought this novel had a slow start. It wasn't until I was about halfway in and could make the connection between Ruby's past and her fear of the present, that I became fully invested in this story. I enjoyed both The One And Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob, which is why I was excited to read this third installment in the series. However, the first two novels included more action to offset the story telling. This novel did not meet that balance for me. However, I do think that Ruby's story is one worth reading. I appreciated the coming-of-age component of this story. Acknowledging that growing up is scary is a profound realization for students. The information around elephant poachers and declining climates is important information to convey as well. Overall, this was a sweet story with super cute illustrations to keep students engaged, but it did have a slow start.

This is a great addition to the Ivan trilogy. I love how the author informs the readers about the dangers elephants face while telling a story. Ruby is my favorite and she finally got her spotlight.

Oh my gosh!! Such a sweet and emotional read! Beautifully written with so many messages to take to heart; wisdom, love, courage, care to name a few. Elephants are such amazing creatures! I enjoyed the One and Only Ivan and One and Only Bob, so I was ecstatic to receive the ARC of One and Only Ruby! Thank you NetGalley!!

I enjoyed this middle grade novel so much! Every book in this series is captivating and endearing. Highly recommend!