The One and Only Ivan

Ivan doesn’t give up after they are captured and sent back to the mall. Is there a time you didn’t think things would work out, but in the end, they did? If you were telling it as a story, think about how you would tell the beginning, middle, and end. Share your made-up story about your real-life outcome with a friend or someone at home.
At the end of the story, the author writes about a real gorilla named Ivan who inspired the story. What other stories have you read that are fiction but based on real events? How are they the same or different than this story?
How would you feel if you were at the mall and saw Ivan perform? What would you do to help Ivan and his friends make it to Zoo Atlanta? How would you get the word out to free the animals?
Ivan, Ruby, and their friends live at Zoo Atlanta. Visit their website with an adult to see the real Ivan, where he lives, and watch a video about his story. Does the real Ivan look like what you imagined?

Discovery Questions