Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows heÕs seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their homeÑand his own artÑthrough new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and itÕs up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create IvanÕs unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.