I felt oddly ambiguous about The One and Only Bob, but I am clear about my opinion of the third installment of the Ivan series in that I thoroughly enjoyed it. What a sweet and beautiful continuation that gently exposes young readers to the suffering wild animals endure at the hands of humans.

As Ruby reluctantly prepares for her Tuskday—a ritual to celebrate maturing elephants and the importance of community—she finally shares with her friends her earliest memories from Africa which includes the loss of her mother. I love how this ultimately helps Ivan cope with the grief he feels from Stella’s passing. So many good things to say about this one!

Any child with a tender heart toward animals will enjoy this story, and perhaps it will move others to consider the relationship humans have with other animals. I likely would have been obsessed with this book as a kid.

Grateful to @harpercollins and @netgalley for the ARC.

Once more, let me say that reading and reviewing anything by Katherine Applegate is always a pleasure and a privilege and I am a great fan of her work. This is the third volume in her series about Ivan, Bob, and little Ruby and gives considerable insight into the background of the character of Ruby, who as an infant elephant, was previously too young to be much of a reliable narrator in the saga of The Onlys. In this book which focus’s on her perspective rather than the adults, Ivan , Stella, and Bob, she struggles to articulate how growing up , and in particularly, the growth of her elephant tusks, is a situation she has difficult and mixed feelings about and must recount her earliest memories up to the point of meeting Ivan, Stella, and Bob in order to explain how she views what other elephants consider a celebration with hesitation and even resentment. It’s a beautiful new chapter in this lovely saga that allows room for growth and character exploration while touching on only too real tragedies that befall elephants and other wildlife, such as losing one’s family to human cruelty and the horrors of the illegal ivory trade. I love how this book can draw a parallel to so many coming of age situations a human child might have and how they might see growing up as something to be uneasy about, and how we never forget the people we lose but carry them with us in our hearts. No one is forgotten as long as we can tell their stories and cherish their memories. This book is enchanting, lyrical, touching and in turns, sad and little heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting . A great addition to any child , young adult or adult animal lover’s library.

"Morning is like a gift you get to open every single day."

I enjoyed this sad but sweet story about Ruby, the young elephant that is learning about what it means to grow up and that even though the world can be a scary place with lots of bad happening, it is also a beautiful place with wonderfully supportive people both in the human world and the animal world.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book, and the entire series brings up so many emotions. I fully love this series and this book is a wonderful addition! I used to live near the mall where these animals were kept. Breaks my heart to read these books but oh, such joy as well! No words can’ describe the story of what these animals went through but somehow these books summarize it perfectly. We all need an Aunt Stella, Ivan, Bob and Ruby in our lives. Excellent illustrations and well deserved awards are going to be handed out for this book!

Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley! I read this book voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

In the third book in the series, we are back at the conservation center with our three favorite animals, Ivan, Bob, and sweet Ruby. In this story, she is growing up and has started to grow her tusks. This is a major milestone and a day of celebration for the herd. They call it Tuskday. Ruby should be excited…but she isn’t. We follow Ruby as she talks to Ivan, Bob, and her aunties about her past and how she came to be at the conservation center.

There is an old saying that goes “an elephant never forgets”. That is precisely why this book was so excellent! Where Ivan and Bob only remembered bits and pieces of their stories, Ruby remembers every detail of her past. She recalls her life in Africa with her original herd when she tells her story. Her story touches on how African elephants are endangered and the horrors of the ivory trade. We also got to see firsthand the effects of poaching on the African elephant population. My favorite aspect of the book is the way the herd is portrayed, both in Africa and at the conservation center. Her newfound aunties are all dynamic characters and they truly love Ruby. This book was filled with beautiful prose, well-developed characters, and important life lessons. When I turned the last page, I yelled because I was ready for more! This was a great addition to The One and Only Ivan series.

The One and Only Ruby is the third book in the One and Only Ivan series by Katherine Applegate. When I was approved by @Netgalley to receive an ARC of this book, I could not have been more thrilled. The One and Only Ivan is a staple read aloud for me. Students in my class have been begging for Ruby’s story to be written.

While, the One and Only Bob is more of a comical story, the One and Only Ruby has serious and more somber issues than the former. The tone was more reminiscent of Ivan. I love books that tug at the heart strings and this is one. I cannot wait to read it aloud to my third graders and hear their opinion!

This will be a wonderful addition to both of my libraries. Katherine Applegate does a wonderful job of sharing Ruby's touching story. It picks up where we left off after The One and Only Bob and continues to share the story of these wonderful friends.

Through flashbacks we get to find out Ruby's story and how she ended up with Ivan at the mall. I loved how Katherine Applegate weaves in information about the challenges that elephants face in Africa. It is a great way for children to learn about this, while reading a touching story. A must read for all Ivan fans.

Katherine Applegate transports us once more back to the world of Ivan, Bob, and Ruby, this time from Ruby's point of view. This is a great companion novel, especially since it addresses how Ruby is growing up. This does have a hard time standing on its own, but will definitely delight fans of the series.

I was so thrilled to see Applegate come out with another book in the The One and Only Ivan series. My students and I have adored Ivan and Bob's stories, and it was wonderful to see that Ruby would get her own, as well.

As her Tuskday approaches, Ruby finds herself more and more nervous. She doesn't love her tusks like everyone else. Why should she, when she's seen how much pain is caused because of elephant tusks? She finds herself confiding in her old friends Ivan and Bob--which leads us on a journey into Ruby's past.

Ruby's story is full of heartache and hope, villains and heroes. I love seeing Ruby interact with her new herd and the visitors to the zoo...I wish there had been more of that.

The only reason this isn't a 5-star read for me is that Ruby's story is told to us after the fact. I almost wonder if this installment would have worked better as a prequel so we could live Ruby's experiences right along with her.

Still an excellent addition, though, and I know my students are going to love it.

Like Ivan, Ruby stole my heart in this wonderful book. It was entertaining and a quick read that will definitely help advance the cause of environmentalism.

While I think The One and Only Bob was a more successful sequel in the spirit of Ivan, I did love getting all of Ruby's backstory - and being reminded that elephants remember everything. This is a lovely way to conclude the stories of these amazing characters; it's particularly great to get to see that everyone is in a good place. A must if you've read the others.

“Both of those names got left behind in Africa, like so many things.” -From the One and Only Ruby

4.5 stars

The third installment of this series did not disappoint. Like the other two, I laughed, cried and had a whole range of emotions. I love how Ruby’s voice is so distinct from our last two main characters, and even from the other elephants. There is only one Ruby! Even though it is a series, readers wouldn’t be confused reading this one without the other two, that would just add to the back story. A lot of the plot is a look back on some things that happened to Ruby (before meeting Ivan, Stella, and Bob) which wasn’t my favorite choice (especially because it’s so sad) but it made sense with the Tuskday plot. If you are a fan of found family animal books you will love this one.

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

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my honest review. What a beautiful continuation to "The One and Only..." books! This time Ruby gets to be the focus and Applegate delivers her story in a heartfelt, emotional telling that features themes perfect for teaching children empathy, sympathy, bravery, grief and so much more. I love how Applegate's books always have an understated moral to the story. Her light approach to that moral allows children to FEEL and come to their own conclusions. There's no preaching about right and wrong, but instead, a heartfelt parable that gets the meaning across. I loved this story, and I know my children will, too!

I read the egalley on my Kindle so it’s hard to get a feel for the layout, but this felt almost like a beginning chapter book. Maybe because Ruby is so young so the voice that Applegate adopted felt more childlike than with Ivan or Bob.

This book does not shy away from some tough topics, but it’s not nearly as gut-wrenching as Ivan. It’s a lovely read and it feels like it rounds out Ivan’s story.

I loved this story and it was a perfect continuation to the series! Ivan and Bob (and Stella’s memory) are still ever present and the message is so heartwarming.

My daughter and have read all the "One and Only" books and were so excited that Katherina Applegate wrote another one. She writes all her stories in a way that are completely accessible for kids, but also entertaining and moving for adults. We both gave it 5 stars. Here is my daughter's book review: "The book was great! This story is about a curious elephant who will talk about her childhood life, losing family members, growing up, and a few jokes here and there. Ruby is such a unique, tiny elephant. In this book, you will learn about her life and what being an elephant is like. As well as going on a journey in an elephant's life and from an elephant's perspective. You will love reading this book if you: liked the other two books about Ivan and Bob, love elephants and books, or generally love reading. Hopefully, you will enjoy it as much as I did."

Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC #TheOneandOnlyRuby #NetGalley

Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers and Netgalley for this advanced readers e-book and chance to be back with Ivan , Bob, and Ruby. Her story was beautiful and continues to inspire readers of all ages to cherish the life we live and give gifts to the world each and every day!!

Before getting into this review, I want to mention that I finished this book weeks ago. Unfortunately, HarperCollins took 66 days to come to an agreement with their union workers. I am grateful that they were able to reach an agreement, and I can review responsibly again!

I'll be honest- I love kid's books. In fact, ya'll can look forward to some reviews of things you probably read in grade school at some point. I wish I'd had this blog last year when I (ravenously) consumed the entirety of K.A. Applegate's Animorphs series. Instead, my partner got to spend hours listening to me theorize and praise the intricacies of those 64 books (aimed towards children while being to this day some of the most traumatizing scenarios I've ever read).

When I saw there was to be a third installment of her "The One and Only" series, I got very excited. After Animorphs, you might have expected a grown woman to gravitate towards the Everworld series next. But not I, no, I ran headfirst to the books whose demographic ranged 5-8. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. I checked out The One and Only Ivan without high expectations, but Applegate brought to life these animal characters, appealed to the emotional spectrum, and introduced young readers to an endearing "found family" trope. The One and Only Bob was a sequel that I had no interest in, until I saw the audiobook was narrated by Danny Devito. I loved it. He perfectly captured Bob's energy, and this story not only did justice to its titular character but made sure to pay homage to the original cast.

Unfortunately, this newest addition fell a bit flat for me, and I'm torn. Since I am not its target audience, I am hesitant to hold this book hostage to my own expectations. At the same time, its predecessors exceeded those same expectations- which creates a bit of a reviewer's dilemma.

While Ruby manages to hit emotional peaks with callbacks to former characters, it felt... directionless. A good portion of the story was Ruby telling a story. For me, it never came together as a cohesive plot. The established characters are still as loveable as they always have been, the introduction of new characters is great, and the integration of animal-education is done seamlessly that I can imagine children not even realizing how much they're learning about elephants. As an adult reading an early reader's book, I do acknowledge that plot isn't always as important for younger audiences (even I enjoy a plotless book from time to time) but the divergence from the other books presented in this format did create a bit of let-down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Katherine Applegate for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

In this third installment of Applegate's One and Only, we dive into Ruby's story. While this little elephant has walked lifetime with turmoil and problems, her story is weaved with a caring herd. This herd begins with her elephant family -birth andadopted-, but includes the humans who caredforher, Ivan and Bob. I love Ruby's story.

Themes of death, poaching, violence against elephants.

The One And Only Ivan has always been a favorite in my classroom, and it is frequently checked out. Recently, I read The One And Only Bob and enjoyed it as well. However, I can confidently say that The One And Only Ruby is my favorite of the series. Did a middle grade story of an elephant make me cry? Sure did.

I cannot wait to add to my classroom library. I think the heavier themes were handled really well. This would definitely be a book I would recommend to a student struggling to cope with a loss.

My lil' elephant loving heart won't be forgetting this one anytime soon.

Thank you Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.