This was a cute book about Ruby the elephant. I think this is a great continuation of this series and I think kids of all ages will love this book.

The One and Only Ruby. brings us back to the world of Ivan the Gorilla, only this time the focus is on Ruby, the baby elephant. This is a very sweet story that will delight young readers who are already familiar with Ruby and her friends. I will definitely be purchasing this for my library!

As soon as I finished reading The One and Only Bob, I hoped Katherine Applegate would gift us with Ruby’s story.

This book surpassed any expectations I had. It’s a sweet story about family, friends and finding the strength to grow up. I can’t wait to add it to my classroom library.

Following The One and Only Ivan, then The One snd Onky Bob, we meet Ruby the elephant. Now living in a wildlife sanctuary, Ruby’s shares her story which is vast as she begins life in Africa but loses her mother to poachers when just a baby..
Ruby’s story, as with so many innocent animals, , is both happy and sad.
Young Ruby shares her story in first person vividly incorporating personification and imagery.
Katherine Applegate works her magic once again presenting baby Ruby’s account which is heartfelt and humorous, poignant and sweet. Adding to the preciousness, artist Patricia Castelao enhances the story with gorgeous black-and-white illustrations throughout the book.

I guarantee you will fall in love with Ruby.

I have loved Katherine Applegate since I was a young reader. Still, as an adult I feel giddy at the prospect of a new book by her. "The One and Only Ruby" is absolutely heartwarming! I so enjoyed reading about the adventure the young elephant finds themselves on.

I have read both The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob and just like those two, I devoured this one very quickly! Elephants are one of my favorite animals and have been since I was little. The amount of wisdom, love, courage, care, and more that elephants have is just astounding. This book truly shows the best characteristics of elephants and how they take care of their herd. It also shows hardships that some elephants have faced whether its being poached for their tusks or ending up in a circus. In Ruby's story hearing how so many truly cared for her was neat to see. It made me think about the many people I am surrounded with and love. Kind of like Ruby, I have my own herd! Also, it's neat how they truly honor their ancestors and those that have passed before them. Elephants are such amazing creatures! I loved this book and would recommend it to everyone to read so we can all see what it means to have a herd and make this world a better place just by being in it.

In this third addition to "The one and only" series, by Applegate, the focus centers on Ruby,the adorable,spunky elephant.
Ruby explains the story of her time in Africa up to her present day living conditions. She shares her traumatic experiences but comes to realize that there was always someone along her journey that loved and protected her through the difficult times.
It's a moving story which I would say describes how the love of friends and "second" families keep us going. A sweet book for young readers with enouraging messages and age appropriate information about elephants and the real life dangerthey face concerning their lovely tusks.
Of course,her best buddies Ivan and Bob make cameo apperances :)

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Colins for the opportunity to read an ARC edition.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. This book is adorable! It is the third in the series, but can very easily be read as a stand alone. The story centers around Ruby, the littlest elephant, and her time with the herd. There are stories of her time living in Africa, and her relationship with Ivan, Bob and Stella. This is a heartfelt book, but also great information about elephants for young readers.

Book Review

The One and Only Ruby
Katherine Applegate
Children’s Fiction

Short Synopsis

The One and Only Ruby tells Ruby’s story from her young days in Africa to her life now at the animal sanctuary.

My Thoughts

This story is a continuation of The One and Only Ivan. Ruby is the baby elephant from that story. I suggest reading The One and Only Ivan to get the gist of the story and learn about the individual characters before reading this.

I love learning more about these characters! First Ivan, then Bob, now Ruby. Who doesn’t love a baby elephant? Ruby is a cutey patooty! The pictures in the book are adorable as well.

It is sad to hear about Ruby’s life before landing in the wildlife sanctuary where she is when she tells her story. This comes to the forefront of her mind when her caretaker from the elephant orphanage she was once at visits her. Then, her little mind goes back in time to tell about her path from Africa to the sanctuary.

As with all of Katherine Applegate’s books, it is well-written! There are happy and sad parts. I felt the characters' emotions; though they are animals, their story feels real.

If you enjoyed The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob, you would enjoy this book just as much. This is a touching series that grabs your heart.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of the third in this series. The One and Only Bob, is still my favorite, but for fans of these friends, and of this series, The One and Only Ruby is a worthwhile read. Providing readers with Ruby's backstory, and hope for her future, this is a great one for elephant lovers.

I really enjoyed this book. I kind of liked it better than The One and Only Bob. This book is full of vivid details and figurative language. It’s a little hard to follow at times because Ruby is all over the place in her story telling, but it also plays up the fact that it’s stories told by a really young elephant. I would love to read this with my students. The messages and lessons sprinkled throughout the story are perfect to discuss with students.

This was such a beautiful story. Although I haven't read the first two books in the series, I absolutely loved this book and didn't feel like I missed any key information from the previous books. I loved Ruby's story, and there were a few moments when my heart broke for Ruby and her family and friends. I definitely plan on reading the first two books in the series.

This was such a great sequel to The one and only Ivan! We hear the story of what happened to Ruby after the events in Ivan, and we get to learn more of her back story. Of course, some characters appear from Ivan as well!

I love with this book. It is perfect for young readers. I liked how slow paced it started. Letting us readers understand who Ruby is and all the different aspects of an elephant. I will buy a copy for my classroom students.

I received a copy of this eBook from netgalley in for an honest review.

I have loved the one and only series by Katherine Applegate from the beginning and this book is a wonderful extension of the series. You don't have to read the whole series for this to be an amazing book but there are definite references to the past books. Ruby the elephant is getting ready for her tuskday and is NOT excited about it. In fact she wants to run away. Tusks are dangerous where she comes from and not something to embrace. We learn of Ruby's back story in Africa and how she came to America. This book will make you feel in all the best ways.

Ruby the elephant stars in the third book of "The One and Only Ivan" series. Although I read and enjoyed the first book in this series, I did not read the sequel. This did not affect my experience with this book however and you could read this book as a stand-alone.
Ruby is living at a well-kept zoo with her new herd of aunts and is preparing for her Tuskday. Tuskday is a special holiday for an elephant where they celebrate growing up and being a part of the herd. Ruby is very nervous for this celebration and confides in her friends Ivan the gorilla and Bob the dog about some trauma from her past that begins to come to the surface.
The prose in this book was incredible, just as it was in the first installment. Applegate has a lyrical, almost poetic tone to her writing that packs a punch in so few words. The exploration of grief, trauma coming up, and the mystery of memory was so achingly beautiful that I found myself rereading many sections.
While I would have liked a little bit more action in the present-day plot, I understand why the author chose to keep it calm and reflective in that setting. The past was so overwhelming that it may have been too much to have action in both timelines.
I will definitely be reading more from this author because she has so much to say and says in such a memorable way!
(Thank you to the publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.)

If you loved The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob, you are going to LOVE The One and Only Ruby. Ruby’s story is one of great love, loss, and overcoming obstacles. She’s a young elephant who has lived a lot of life and learned so much along the way. As she’s getting ready for her Tuskday she reflects back on her life so far and tells her story to her friends, Ivan, Bob, and Kinyani. This book gives information on the dangers that elephants face in the wild and in captivity. We thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to find out who is going to narrate the audiobook since we loved both Ivan’s and Bob’s audiobooks. Thank you Katherine Applegate for another beautiful, inspiring book.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

The One and Only Ruby is a wonderful addition to The One and Only Series. It encapsulates the experience of growing up as elephant born in the wild and living in captivity. Applegate does a fantastic job capturing the voice of Ruby and bringing all the human emotions to the surface. In the end, it gets the reader seriously thinking about the use of animals as entertainment.

Is this companion novel, we learn about the incredible journey Ruby has taken in her short life. Because of her stellar memory, Ruby can remember back to the day she was born, her mother, and the powerful female elephants who looked out for her. She remembers the first time she encounters the effect of poachers on elephants, and her journey to the zoo where she lives now. All of these events helped shape Ruby into the elephant she is today and explain why she is nervous about her “tusk” day. Ruby’s story is moving and insightful, sharing glimpses into her different lives, those where she is looked after and those where she is treated poorly. Apple gate’s writing is poignant and powerful.

Fans of The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob are in for a treat! This book takes you back to learn about Ruby's history and how she came to be in the mall with Ivan and Bob. While you could read it as a stand alone title, readers who have already fallen in love with Ivan, Bob, & Ruby will definitely feel the heartstrings being tugged as Ruby shares her story. I have already started book talking and have students who are counting the days until its release!