Ivan--A Gorilla--A Mighty Silverback

January 2012 welcomed a new book release by Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan. A work of fiction, based upon the real Ivan living in Zoo Atlanta, impacted the reading community as only a powerful story can. On Monday August 21, 2012 Ivan passed away. This is what happened on Twitter.

Storified by · Fri, Nov 02 2012 17:43:17

Spotted #theoneandonlyivan at @AndersonsBkshp -- trying to convince mom to read it! @MrSchuReads http://pic.twitter.com/0U9feK74 · Jessica

@kaaauthor @MrSchuReads I told a big group of students at a school visit that Ivan was the best book I'd read recently. They cheered.

— Jeramey Kraatz · Fri, Nov 02 2012 09:38:10

@MrSchuReads LOVE the word Masterpiece to describe #theoneandonlyivan A very small # of books captured me from the 1st paragraph @kaaauthor

— Terry Shay · Fri, Nov 02 2012 09:30:40

Love this! MT @BuistBunch Favorite student quote about #TOAOI..."The One and Only Ivan exceeded my expectations." from Maxine. #glread12

— Katherine Applegate · Wed, Oct 31 2012 20:24:41

Voted for "The One and Only Ivan" in the Opening Round of the 2012 #GoodreadsChoice Awards http://bit.ly/SbwbXt

— Shelly Stasney · Wed, Oct 31 2012 07:54:03

"Wish we didn't have read aloud today Mrs. Dee. I don't want Ivan's story to end! I hate saying goodbye." 5th grade reader @kaaauthor

— Susan Dee · Wed, Oct 31 2012 07:28:51

My 6th graders wanted to know more about #TheOneAndOnlyIvan so I of course had to show them @mrschureads' blog.

— Beth Shaum · Wed, Oct 31 2012 07:23:28

On my gosh my students were speechless when I read about Mack's treatment to Ruby in Ivan...

— Patrick Andrus · Tue, Oct 30 2012 14:04:56

Discussing the importance of the setting in THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. Could the story have taken place anywhere else? #glread12

— Cynthia Alaniz · Tue, Oct 30 2012 07:35:36

@ktubb Yes. One way or another I will be crying on January 28th. It would be fun if they were happy tears. #theoneandonlyivan

— Colby Sharp · Mon, Oct 29 2012 18:26:20

@colbysharp *I* struggle to read it without crying. :) You're right - total cross-age appeal. Hadn't thought about that.

— Kristin Tubb · Mon, Oct 29 2012 18:04:33

@colbysharp @kelleemoye All my kids wanted to read Ivan the minute I was finished with it!

— Niki Ohs Barnes · Mon, Oct 29 2012 18:08:13

Here is the archived video from today's Gorilla Talk w/ a docent from the Milwaukee Zoo! http://ow.ly/eRvqi #glread12 @kaaauthor

— Billy Spicer · Mon, Oct 29 2012 13:23:37

Just found out that after participating in reading #theoneandonlyivan for Global Read Aloud my students get to Skype w/ Katherine Applegate!

— Jillian Heise · Mon, Oct 29 2012 13:23:00

Love this! @stephenGR5 My #TypeDrawing of Ruby in #TheOneAndOnlyIvan #glread12 @patricahewitt @greatgrade5s @kaaauthor http://pic.twitter.com/efZpKd4P · Katherine Applegate

Check out this wonderful #theoneandonlyivan Animoto! http://www.globalreadaloud.com/2012/10/a-super-cool-animoto-from-scholars-in.html

— Katherine Applegate · Mon, Oct 29 2012 12:54:13

"Wen Stela died I was crying inside but I was tuf enuf to handel it..." From bulletin bd at elem school. http://pic.twitter.com/TwqPo8Eh · Katherine Applegate

I was totally outranked by @kaaauthor at #TXBookFest. She signed twice as many THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN as any of the rest of us did our books.

— Michael Grant · Sun, Oct 28 2012 18:12:08

Beautiful art inspired by #theoneandonlyivan & Cunningham Elem's brilliant teachers. Thx, @texasbookfest! http://pic.twitter.com/IqrcUvlH · Katherine Applegate

@pernilleripp Great news from Texas! THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN made the 2013-2014 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List! Hurray! #glread12

— Cynthia Alaniz · Sat, Oct 27 2012 16:17:07