Ivan loves being a papa, even though it can be hard sometimes. But as he navigates the joys and challenges of parenthood, he can't help but recall his life before the glass walls of the mall circus, his own childhood in the jungle-and his own twin.

The One and Only Family

The Dungaree Pilot is the biography of a WWII U.S. Navy sailor with a dream to fly, and where that dream landed him. His passion to become a U.S. naval aviator found its home in his heart at the tender age of fifteen during the Great Depression. It began one summer afternoon while lying in the sand on a New Jersey beach. From his unique vantage point, he witnessed small navy planes fly in and out of the belly of the airship, USS Akron. His biography traces his family heritage and deep roots in New Jersey that served as his permanent foundation during an uncertain career. It focuses on the life-threatening experiences he faced in pursuing his goal. The up close explosion of the Hindenburg while assigned to its ground crew and his unusual escape from the attack on Pearl Harbor via a bottle of whiskey were just a couple of his near misses. As a navy pilot, he risked his life during WWII in an assignment to bomb German subs in the Atlantic and Caribbean and later flew a test flight through an actual atomic bomb blast. A crash-landing in a New York cemetery and a lightning strike late at night over the dark Atlantic added to the threats on his life. His story represents the thousands of undecorated and unrecognized heroes of the greatest generation. The experiences of two decorated heroes, Elwoods close friends, are paralleled throughout his own story. His high school buddy, Bob Case, became a WWII Army Air Corps flying ace in the Pacific. The other, Eddie Bronson, was a forgotten childhood school chum, with whom Elwood was reunited at the navy indoctrination center in Philadelphia. Three ships were sunk beneath him, the last of which led to three and a half years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, and the revenge imposed on the captors at the wars end.

The Dungaree Pilot

The #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan is now a major motion picture streaming on Disney+ This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself. Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes. In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create an unforgettable story of friendship, art, and hope. The One and Only Ivan features first-person narrative; author's use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective). This acclaimed middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 8, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom. Plus don't miss The One and Only Bob, Katherine Applegate's return to the world of Ivan, Bob, and Ruby!

The One and Only Ivan