The One and Only Ivan

We began the year with a wonderful read aloud story - The One and Only Ivan, written by Katherine Applegate. Watch the book trailer below and read our story retells.

 I am Ivan. I am a gorilla.

It's not as easy as it looks.

Ivan was a Silverback and he threw dung balls. Ivan lived in smelly sawdust. He painted himself and he drank poo tasting water. He ended up in  a zoo with other gorillas. He loved it.

- James -

Once there was a mighty Silverback. His name was Ivan. He was an artist. Mack, Ivan’s owner, put a piece of paper in his enclosure. Ivan was a gorilla. He had a teddy gorilla too. He called it Not Tag because he had a sister called Tag. Ivan’s parents had their heads and arms cut off. Ivan had been at the Big Top Mall enclosure for 27 years. Ivan had three friends. One had died so I should not say her name. He did have Bob and Ruby. Bob was a dog and Ruby was an elephant. Ivan had to protect Ruby. Ivan had a dream and his dream came true.

- Katy -

Ivan was clever because he was good at painting. He lived in a cage for twenty seven years. He has a girlfriend from the zoo.

- Nga -

Ivan was a gorilla, a mighty Silverback. Ivan made friends and they were Stella, Bob, Julia, Mack, Not Tag, Ruby and George. Ivan lived at the Big Top Mall Game Arcade with poo water and a poor diet for 27 years. He was an artist. Ivan was smart and clever and he made a plan. Ivan went to the zoo and he made new friends.

- Kate -

Ivan is a gorilla, a mighty Silverback. He lived in his cage for 27 years. His family were killed. He had friends. He had dirty water to drink. He was an artist. He ended up in the zoo. He saw Ruby on TV. He threw dung balls. Ivan had a girlfriend.

- Cassie -

Ivan is a mighty Silverback who lived in the mall. He is really good at painting pictures. He threw yucky dung balls. He went to the zoo. He loved it.

- Cooper -

On the days Ivan made friends he chucked dung balls. He was a Mighty Silverback. Ivan was a good artist and they sold his pictures at the Big Top Mall. People brought them. Ivan now lives at a zoo with other gorillas.

- Chris -

The One and Only Ivan the Mighty Silverback is a really good artist. He threw dung balls at people passing by. At the Big Top Mall he was in an enclosure but he is now with other gorillas. Now he is happy.

- Hunter -

Ivan was a mighty Silverback. He lived in the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade for 27 years. In his 27th year at the Mall he came up with a plan to make a gigantic picture for his friends  Julia and her Dad to put on a sign to turn people against the mall. It worked because a news video man came to interview the mall and got the claw stick in it. The mall was shut down and all of the animals were transported to a zoo.

- Jethro -

Ivan is a Mighty Silverback. He threw dung balls at people. He was a good artist. He lived in a zoo and in an enclosure. He put on shows at the Big Top Mall.

- Max -

Ivan is a gorilla. He is a mighty Silverback. He lived in a dirty 27 year old enclosure. He used to throw dung balls at people. He made a teddy called Not Tag because his sister died and her name was Tag. He had cotton candy and ice cream in the old enclosure. Ivan had the dirtiest water to drink. Ivan was really smart. Ivan made loads of friends. Ivan was a really poor pet.

- Nicole -