It's not very often that a book comes along that gets spoken about in the same breath as Charlotte's Web, but Katherine Applegate's new book has received lots of well-deserved praise and attention since it's release in January, and when we reach the 60th anniversary of its publication, I believe it will be as fondly remembered.
There's no question that animal stories are heart-tugging, but this one is especially so because it challenges us to think about the lives of animals being kept in captivity, and what it does to their quality of life and their happiness.
From the moment you meet him, you know that Ivan is special. Once the star-attraction at the Big Top Mall, he knows that people are not as interested in him as they once were, but that doesn't really bother him. He has his friends and his art, and his memories of life in the jungle with his parents and twin sister are faint. It has been many years since he's even seen one of his own kind, and though he doesn't initially understand what the feeling is, he's lonely. Ivan's voice is pitch perfect. He has a very simple and straightforward way of viewing the world, and much like Charlotte, he finds his purpose in his promise to Stella to save Ruby.
The novel illustrates the best and the worst of humanity, and captures the both the heart-warming and the heart-breaking aspect of these animals and their relationships. Katherine Applegate is a masterful writer, and the quality of the prose alone makes this a book not to be missed.
