Hi everyone, as promised I have a booklist post this week with a few more titles. You’ll find stories about dogs, whales, elephants…oops… sorry, forget you saw that. If you’re keen to find out more, just press the button below and get comfy for a menagerie of a booklist…
The first three titles are actually a series of books by acclaimed author Katherine Applegate.
The series begins with Newbery medal winning The One and Only Ivan (HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2012) about a remarkable type of animal, a gorilla called Ivan. He lives in the Big Top Mall and Arcade and is used to humans watching him through the glass of his cage. When a baby elephant called Ruby arrives, Ivan begins seeing his home through new eyes and vows to do something so Ruby doesn’t end up like him. This was one of those stories that leaves you not just in tears, but also imprints itself in your heart!! Reminiscent of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, this is a tale of a collection of animals housed in a mall as exhibits. Ivan, a silver-backed male gorilla, his friends Stella the elephant and Bob the dog have a unique friendship until baby elephant Ruby turns up and the story follows. It is one of friendship, companionship, hope, bravery and survival. Told entirely in Ivan’s unique voice, we hear of his capture as an infant and journey into adulthood. There is some powerful imagery conjured up in his amazing story. Based on the true story of an actual gorilla named Ivan, I couldn’t help but marvel at how Applegate created this powerful and poignant tale!! The second one is The One and Only Bob (HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2020) and features Ivan’s friend, Bob the mutt. Bob has found a home to call his own and all the treats you could ask for as a dog, but something is missing. When a hurricane hits, Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister, with the aid of his best friends – Ivan and Ruby. This was as awesome as its predecessor, but even funnier and jam-packed with all things canine!! Told in Bob’s unique canine voice, we get a sneak peak into the mind of Ivan’s mangy but lovable best friend! I loved the descriptions of those wild instincts that animals have, and thought that Applegate had done an amazing job. A truly heartfelt story of the power of friendship and family. The third one, The One and Only Ruby (HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2023), is all about the newcomer, Ruby the baby elephant. Told in adorable Ruby’s cute voice, and completely in verse, we get to hear the story of Ruby’s journey. She loves spending time with her best friends, Ivan the silverback gorilla and Bob the mutt, but she also misses those who came before her – the family she was born into on the African savannah. Ruby remembers her life before the sanctuary, before she knew what loss meant. When she shares her story with those she loves most, she begins to find the courage to embrace every part of her story – and herself. What I really loved about this was the older ‘aunt’ elephants who surround young Ruby and how they care and protect her. Each page felt like I was meeting up with old friends!! Tween readers will love this awesome series!!
This next read is a must for dog-lovers!! A Dog like Daisy by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb (Katherine Tegen Books, 2017) tells us a tale of family and loyalty from another dog, Daisy. She has only ten weeks to prove her usefulness or else be sent back to the pound. Yet if she goes back, who will protect Colonel Victor from his PTSD attacks? Determined to become the elite protector the colonel needs, Daisy vows to ace the service-dog test. First Daisy must learn how to face her own fears from the past or risk losing the family she’s so desperate to guard – again. I found this a gorgeous animal story told from Daisy’s voice. Being a rescue dog who’s training to be a service dog to a returned veteran and his family, she faces quite a few hurdles and challenges. There’s something about stories such as these as you get to see the human world from the perspective of an animal!! The family in this story kept giving me excuses to cry!! Despite it being somewhat poignant, it had a good ending!!
The elephant in the room by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Piccadilly Press, 2021) is another heartwarming story about the relationships between humans and animals! Sila’s mother had left their home in America to obtain vital immigration papers from Turkey, but the longer she’s away, the more Sila worries that her mother may never return. Everything changes when Sila and her father meet Gio Gardino, an elderly man who lives alone in a large house. Together, they help rescue a circus elephant named Veda. And when Sila befriends Matteo, the quietest boy in school, they all embark on a reunion unlike any other. What a poignant and heartwarming story on family love and the power of friendship, both between animals and humans!! I fell instantly in love with young Sila and my heart cried for her as she details the sadness she feels without her mother. I loved getting to know the elephant, Veda, and all she gets up to at Mr G’s place. This is one of those stories that take the power of friendship and diversity and flip you inside out!! You’ll find yourself rooting for these brave kids and enjoying every page!!
The last story takes us to a wild Scottish island in The Sound of Whales by Kerr Thomson (Chicken House, 2015). It starts when an unfortunate tragedy washes up on the storm-beaten shore: the bodies of a whale and a man. Fraser, desperate for adventure, and American visitor Hayley, fed up with the island’s isolation, became tangled up in the mystery. But Fraser’s younger brother Dunny is distraught by the discovery. He hasn’t spoken in years, and lately he’s been acting more strangely than ever. This is an intriguing tale of wild adventure and mystery tangled with how animals feature in the balance. Set off the wild northern coast of Scotland this story has a cast of some brave young kids and their families. Even though young Dunny doesn’t speak in words, you can feel and sense his presence throughout the book. I really enjoyed it and found some lovely descriptions and landscape, characters, and especially the temperament of the wild Atlantic Ocean. Despite the underlying issues of divorce, selective mutism, and autism, this tale packs a punch of a read for animal and nature lovers. No wonder it won the 2014 Times Children’s Fiction Book Award!
Well, there you have my last booklist for this month! I hope you enjoyed these reads.
Stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 