This book is an automatic read for kids who loved The One and Only Ivan. As long as you've read the book about Ivan, you'll likely find this book acceptable. It's a continuation of the story of three animals whose lives intersected in a mall zoo. This book is all about Ruby the elephant.

The thing about The One and Only Ivan is that it was all fresh and new. It was a story of friendship, of three animals surviving their unfortunate circumstances precisely because they had each other. There were great supporting characters and interactions. We rooted for them. We cared for them. I gave that book 5 stars without hesitation.

This book is different. Although Ivan and Bob make appearances in the story, it's mostly about Ruby and her explanation for why she doesn't want to celebrate Tusk Day. The other elephants insist it's a rite of passage ceremony that she must go through. She's dreading it, and she feels compelled to explain why. To do so, she much go back to the beginning, to her birth in Africa. It's a sad story. A story of her herd, her mother and the humans who came to destroy and kidnap. All because of the tusks.

It's fine, just not the award winner Ivan was. It's a lesson about the plight of elephants rather than a story of friendship, which doesn't pack the same punch.

Katherine Applegate does not disappoint when sharing Ruby’s backstory. As with Ivan and Bob, Applegate provides us lessons on how to treat one another and how to make the world a better place. We should all be blessed to have the wisdom of elephants.

It was so nice to revisit Ivan, Bob and Ruby again in this wonderful story. I read "The Only and Only Ivan" every year to my classroom and it never fails bring tears to my eyes. Ruby brought so much joy to this group of unlikely animal friends and its nice to see their friendship continues even after their lives take a different turn. I love how all the books deal with real life animal rights issues and awareness is key. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Katherine Applegate has done it again! This was absolutely delightful. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. I highly recommend this fun and quick read! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Katherine Applegate has done it again! LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book, as much as Ivan & Bob's stories. Can't wait to get it into the hands of my readers!

There is so much that I enjoy about “The One and Only…” series. First and foremost is the story. I think it can be extremely difficult to write about animals and make them feel human or relatable. I think that there needs to be a connection to the characters and I love the way I am able to feel for the characters in this story. I have grown to really love them over the years. Another thing that I really like is how much kids adore these stories. When I read them to kids, they never want me to stop and always want more. I think kids will really love Ruby even more after getting to read about how she got to the place she’s at now. Lastly, I love how the author educates about the importance or these animals and the horrors that they experience but in a way for children to understand. I can’t wait to add this book to my classroom for kids to read and enjoy.

This is the third in a series of wonderful books about animal friends. Ruby is a baby elephant who now lives with friends Bob (dog) and Ivan (gorilla), as well as other elephants, in a sanctuary. Things were not always so great for Ruby, though, as we learn about her entire life in this volume. Ms. Applegate's writing is as descriptive and as creative as ever. Her characters come alive on the pages in unusual ways, especially since they are animals. Another 5-star winner! Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an ARC.

This book is the sweetest! I’ve been a fan of Katherine Applegate for years, since I fell in love with the story, The One and Only Ivan. Then came The One and Only Bob, and now this one. I love elephants and not only was it a story of friendship and family, it taught me a lot about elephant behavior. I can’t wait to buy a copy for my classroom when it is released.

Fantastic book, just like all her others. Katherine Applegate knows how to bring things down to a kid's level while still speaking to adults. Her books really make you think. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

It was so sweet to hear Ruby’s story. This book is a visit with an old friend. And you get to learn about elephants! What a special book!

This was a fantastic book that hooks the reader from the first page. The first person point of view makes it interesting and is a great way for children to learn about the ways humans impact elephants.

I have to say that Katherine Applegate has been a favorite author of mine as a teenager, mother, and teacher. I first read “The One and Only Ivan” as a Battle of the Books coach. It was such a great book (with an equally great message) that I wrote a grant for a class set and was able to share it with my 8th grade students, who also loved it. I now work with elementary students who are very excited for this book to come out. I enjoyed getting to know more about Ruby’s backstory. It doesn’t come without some heartbreak that will lead to some important discussions/thinking. I feel that it was written in a way that it could be read as a standalone. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because as an adult reader, I would have liked more details around the events in Ruby’s past, however I think it is just the right length for its intended audience. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ”The One and Only Ruby.” in exchange for my honest opinion

The One and Only Ruby is the sequel to the One and Only Ivan - which was recently made into a fun movie! As well as a sequel to The One and Only Bob.  I used to read Katherine Applegate's teen books when I was a  teen, I guess I am regressing as this one is more geared towards the younger crowd, but since I enjoyed Ivan I had to see what ended up happening with Ruby... 

Ruby is a young elephant with a secret.  She has started being called "Tusky" by her family because her tusks are coming in - but she hates her tusks.  Ruby is no longer living at the mall, but she is still with her Uncle Ivan at the Zoo.  She ends up telling the story of when she was born and growing up in Africa.

This was a really sweet story about how you can't stop yourself from growing up, but it's ok to think about the past and the loved ones you've lost along the way as well, as they helped you to get there.

 I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

At first I was skeptical that we needed another one of these. The One and Only Ivan was really good and we COULD have stopped there. However, this was still really good and honestly could stand on its own apart from the rest of the series (though of course the others help flesh out the back story and side characters) Touching story about family, growing up, and even a delicate treatment of trauma. This was somehow very deep but also "age appropriate" at the same time.

This was another beautiful animal story from author Katherine Applegate.

I am a big fan of this series, and getting to hear Ruby's story was a joy.

Her prose is spot on as always, and we got to learn about the wonder that are elephants.

The overall story was not as strong as the first two books in this series, but it was still a beautiful read I would recommend for any animal lovers.

A beautiful addition to the series, The One and Only Ruby gives readers deeper insight and understanding of the oh-so-lovable character of Ruby. It’s something special to be able to go back to a character and learn more about them and their history. Her story is powerful and thought-provoking. Readers will not only be able to learn more about the circumstances of elephants, but also about themselves. Relatable on both the animal level and a human level. Applegate created characters that really do the message justice and keep readers wanting more of their adventures and experiences.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The One and Only Ivan" has been a favorite in our house for a few years now. We didn't read the "One and Only Bob" yet. I just learned a month or so ago that it even existed since it was not carried in our library. When I saw the One and Only Ruby on the NetGalley shelves, I knew we had to read it! I had concerns that by skipping the second book and reading them out of order that "...Ruby" wouldn't make sense, but Katherine Applegate did an amazing job not info dumping in the beginning but recapping the information throughout the narrative. Katherine Applegate truly is a gift as her writing is so poetic and lyrical and she doesn't fall into the trap of dumbing down the writing because children are the target audience.

"The One and Only Ruby" takes place in the Animal Sanctuary a few months after Ivan, Bob, and Ruby are taken from the Big Top Mall. Ruby is now growing up within a herd of Auntie elephants and preparing for her Tuskday, which is a coming of age ceremony that elephants celebrate. The anxiety of the event, and a visitor from her past, forces Ruby to finally share the early memories from her life in Africa to Ivan and Bob.

This story is so full of fun and yet so emotional at times. I was concerned that my youngest who is 8 would have issues with some of the heavier themes such as death, poaching, and violence against cute elephants, and while she had an emotional response, she did just fine.

Overall, "The One and Only Ruby" is a beautifully written story that will one day be a children's classic right up there with Charlotte's Web.

I love these books and so do my students. Well written and engaging! Well developed characters and story line throughout the three books.

This is the third book in The One and Only Ivan series and it was just as good as the first two. In this book, we learn Ruby's past and current history. Upon seeing a caretaker from Africa at her new home, Ruby is flooded with memories; both good and bad. She shares her story with Ivan and Bob, meanwhile being accepted in the herd with the celebration of Tuskday.

A wonderful story, beautifully told. Highly recommended.

I cannot tell you how excited I was when I heard that Ruby was getting her own book. I have fallen in love with each of the characters in this series. In The One and Only Ruby, Ruby is getting ready for her Tusk Day. It is a coming of age tradition that elephants go through, but Ruby is not excited because she doesn't like her tusks. We find out more through her flashbacks and her time in Africa. She has experienced her fair share of heartbreak. It was so fun to go back and see these characters again. I think readers will fall in love with Ruby's story.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.