Ruby and Stella were our favorite characters throughout this series so we loved that Ruby got an entire book devoted to her story. My youngest (11 years old) is super sensitive. There were parts of this book that were really hard for him to read - Ruby has a terribly sad and difficult backstory. However, it is an important story about death and poaching but also about friendship and family.
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Some of the most touching parts of the story are when Ruby recounts her time with Stella. It allowed for my son and I talk about how sad we feel and miss his granny (my mom) and how it helps to remember her by sharing our memories with each other. I love that a book can lead to such personal, important discussions.
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In typical Applegate fashion, the are lots of fun and silly moments to temper the sad. Bob and Ivan are still great friends and we get to meet the members of Ruby’s new herd.
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This series is such a special collection of books. We highly recommend them all!

We finally get Ruby's story! Have your tissue box ready because just like Ivan and Bob, it is not always a happy one. This would be a great read aloud for families as it is ripe for discussion of what our role is in protecting the environment and animals who share it with us. The illustrations made for a lovely addition to the story, what could be cuter than a little elephant! It was great to see characters I've grown to love from The One and Only Ivan return. I would say this one is not quite as emotionally resonant as the first book, but it will still tug at heartstrings and delight young readers. A lovely edition the the world first started with Ivan.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I am a huge fan of the Ivan books. I loved the first book so much and fell in love with the characters. I was shocked that I adored the sequel even more. This book wasn’t as adventurous as Bob’s story, but it was poignant and beautiful.

Ruby’s story focuses on her current life at the zoo and dealing with coming of age, while also flashing back to her life prior to meeting Ivan, Bob, and Stella. The book will teach children about what happens to elephants in the wild, but also teach them some important lessons about what family means and persevering.

This book would be great for third grade and up. That includes adults, too. It’s a beautiful, quick read. I hope there are more books in this series that continue o focus on these lovable characters.

The One and Only Ruby is a wonderful read! Ruby is the sweetest little elephant who is afraid to celebrate her tuskday. You see Ruby associates her tusks with the trauma of beginning her life in Africa. Catch up with Bob and Ivan while learning all about Ruby. Happy Reading!

Katherine Applegate does it again with this heartwarming story about our favorite baby elephant, Ruby. As she nears the celebration for her "tusk day", Ruby reflects on her life with her original herd in Africa before poachers killed her mother and she ended up in America.
In the same way The One And Only Ivan tugged at your heartstrings, this story will bring tears to the most stoic of readers. Ruby's plight is all too familiar for anyone who's been following the story of the illegal ivory trade.
I appreciated how she told the story through Ruby's narration as she spoke with Ivan and Bob. It may have also worked as a solid prequel but because she used this format, young readers who may not have been familiar with the other two novels will have the luxury of knowing that Ruby makes it through her struggles. It's a much gentler approach and even this old reader needed it!
I highly recommend this book for readers in grades 2-5 who love animals and especially those who are already familiar with Ivan's story--but it's not a prerequisite. This tale could certainly stand alone.

Thank you to Harper Collins for this ARC, I loved it. I am a huge fan of The One and Only Ivan, The One and Only Bob and now The One and Only Ruby. This story was so well done on how it spoke about grief, loss, growing up and what makes a family. The pictures were beautiful and just enhanced the story. A must read.

Katherine Applegate brings us back into the world of Ivan, Bob, and Ruby in The One and Only Ruby. This is Ruby's origin story, and it is utterly beautiful and heartbreaking. A must-read!

As always, Katherine Applegate does an amazing job developing characters and bringing the reader into the story. I loved Ruby so much in “The One and Only Ivan,” so was thrilled to find she was getting her own story, and that we would get to know how she came to be at the mall with Stella, Ivan, and Bob. Fans of “The One and Only Ivan” and “The One and Only Bob,” will love this third installment just as much.

I absolutely loved this book, it was a perfect addition to the Ivan and Bob stories that came before it. I can't wait for this to come out in print to add it to my classroom library. There are many excellent talking points throughout the book and opportunities for reflection. The quote at the end from Aunt Akello is my new favorite, definitely words to live by!

Another tear-jerker from Applegate's "Ivan" world! THE ONE AND ONLY RUBY explores the backstory of the little elephant who debuted in THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. The majority of the book is Ruby telling her life story to Ivan and Bob, but there are strong themes of living with grief. While it doesn't have the excitement of the important missions in both THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN and THE ONE AND ONLY BOB, it's deeply emotional and well worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Katherine Applegate for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The One and Only Ivan” is one of my all time favorites. Then along came “The One and Only Bob”, which won another place in my heart. Katherine Applegate knows how to touch our hearts and fill us with a life lesson.

After a long, sad, tiring journey, little elephant, Ruby, joins Ivan and Bob, who have been taken away from Big Top Mall, and now living in the Animal Sanctuary. Ruby is pretty happy until her Tuskday, her ceremony into growing up. She has many sad memories about tusks and doesn’t want to be a part of growing up. After sharing her memories, with the guidance of older elephants and a visit from a faraway friend, Ruby begins to understand her place and importance in life.

This book will remain on my shelf of favorites.

<i>’If anyone wants to know what elephants are like, they are like people, only more so.’</i> - Pierre Corneille

<i>’Nature’s great masterpiece, an elephant; the only harmless great thing.’</i> - John Dunne

<i>’I can watch elephants (and elephants alone) for hours at a time, for sooner or later the elephant will do something very strange…There is mystery behind that masked gray visage, and ancient life force, delicate and mighty, awesome and enchanted, commanding the silence ordinarily reserved for mountain peaks, great fires, and the sea.’</i> - Peter Matthiessen


This is the story of a young elephant, the littlest elephant as this story begins, a <i>’Tusky’</i> by the name of Ruby. Ruby isn’t happy being called a <i>’Tusky’</i>, though, and would prefer to be just Ruby. The elders consider it to be a customary tradition, handed down through the years as their tusks appear, but Ruby doesn’t like it even if it is a ceremony celebrating a rite of passage. Ruby is especially nervous about having to give a speech, which would be hard enough to come up with, but actually giving it is what is terrifying.

And so Ruby goes to find a place to hide, which, let’s face it, isn’t really easy for even the tiniest elephant.
At its heart, this is a story of family, a story of love, loss and finding your tribe, as well as finding oneself. There are humorous moments, charming ones, as well as touching ones. A story written for middle-graders, but early readers and parents would enjoy this, as well.

A wonderful story shared with Katherine Applegate’s gift of infusing her stories with a natural charm, alongside Patricia Castelao’s wonderful illustrations that add additional delight to this enchanting story.


Pub Date: 02 May 2023

Many thanks for the ARC provided by HarperCollins Children’s Books, HarperCollins

I love this series! I've read all of the books now. Katherine Applegate did such a great job of weaving real life elephant facts through this lovely story about what makes a family and how to talk about what troubles us to help find a life on the other side of trauma. I will, of course, be purchasing this book for my collection as well.

This was a great story, beautifully
told. I love how it shows all children we can overcome all obstacles thrown at us. We can find the positive to anything we face. This was
a wonderful edition to the first two stories in her series.
There are So many favorite moments & quotes for me in this story. My favorite is
when Ruby is remembering Aunt Stella:
" So, " she would say, “ what amazed you
today, sweet girl? ”
" I mean, " said Aunt Stella, " what surprised you today? What filledbyou with wonder? What made you feel awe? That's what I mean by 'amazed.' Anything can be amazing, Ruby. Anything and everything. "

I am hooked on this quote and want to share it with the world. I think its uplifting and so meaningful.
This is a wonderful children's book & I think a great read aloud together as a family. Take this opportunity to read with your child and this book and series is perfect.

I have loved the One and Only books by Katherine Applegate and this one is no different. An important message of perseverance and friendship. Ruby’s story is brought to life and shows what a brave little elephant can become no matter how young.

Such a good book! Read it each night with my six year old before bedtime and she really enjoyed it as well. Can't go wrong with Kathrine Applegate!

While this book was cute and a quick read like the first two in the series, I did think it wasn't super necessary--the biggest purpose it served for me was telling Ruby's story and giving her more of a voice, as the last member of the trio. However, much of the book was Ruby just telling others about her past and her story. I'm not a huge fan of backstory being told by characters to other characters, as I think there are more interesting ways of telling them, so I did get a little bored when she was just speaking. Still a cute book that I think children who enjoyed the first two will devour, but it wasn't my favorite of the three.

The anxiety of Tuskday--a coming of age ceremony celebrated by elephants--prompts Ruby to share the memories of her time in Africa.

This is a quick, heartfelt read and Applegate is adept at tackling topics such as death and poaching in a way that kids can understand. Although, this title isn't on par with The One and Only Ivan, it is still a worthwhile read and fans of the previous books in the serious will gravitate to this title.

I'm so glad to have Ruby's story! Ivan has long been a favorite and Bob too. This trio of books is so charming. The One And Only Ruby is an absolute delight. I cannot recommend this series enough.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book.

A very sweet and thoughtful companion to The One and Only Ivan. This book tells the story about elephant Ruby and how she started life on the African Savannah.