The One and Only Ivan
The One and Only IvanKatherine ApplegateThe One and Only, book 1
Characters in The One and Only Ivan
4 characters, main characters first.Main characters
Ivan
A silverback gorilla who has spent nearly 27 years as the main attraction at a run-down shopping-mall circus, communicating in art and memory as he decides to help a newly arrived baby elephant find a better life.
Supporting characters
Ruby
A baby elephant brought to the mall circus after her previous circus went bankrupt; her arrival is what moves Ivan to seek a better future for them all.
Bob
A stray dog who lives in Ivan's domain at the mall, sly and talkative, and prone to sleeping curled up on Ivan's chest.
Stella
An elderly elephant caged beside Ivan, scarred by years of hard treatment in traditional circuses; her failing health and her account of Ruby's origins push the story forward.