One and Only Family

Description: Ivan has been happily living in a wildlife sanctuary, with his friend Ruby next door in the elephant enclosure, frequent visits from his canine friend Bob, and his mate Kinyani by his side. And in the happiest turn of all, Ivan and Kinyani have welcomed a set of twins to their family!

Brief description:

Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including the One and Only series, the Endling series, Crenshaw, Wishtree, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter books series, and the Animorphs series. She lives with her family in Nevada.

Review Quotes:

"Applegate's trust and respect for readers is evident. She doesn't shy away from hard truths." - Kirkus Reviews

"At its core this story continues to raise the question of how humans can preserve the natural world and be worthy conservators for the future. In this lovingly crafted finale, Applegate deftly delivers with spare, shining prose that juxtaposes playfulness with soul-stirring revelations, allowing the book to be accessible for young readers and a page-turner for all ages. This is a satisfying send off, and readers will want to reread the whole series to share the laughs and the tears surrounding this memorable band of buddies one more time. A must-read celebration of family, natural and found." - Booklist (starred review)

"Castelao's spot art continues to add spark to the characters. Applegate's writing [is] stellar as ever. A cherished character enjoys the heartfelt and uplifting closure he, and his fans, richly deserve." - School Library Journal (starred review)

"A wonderful farewell tour for these endearing characters and the themes that they have come to embody so well: adversity, resilience, and hope." - Horn Book Magazine