The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

My name is Ivan, and most Silverbacks aren't kept in a glass domain like me. I can't do tricks like my best friend Stella the elephant, but she's my best friend. Mack and George treat me okay, but I like George's daughter the best. She's an artist like me, and she shares her crayons and blank paper. I guess you can say I like still-lifes, since Mack puts frames around my pictures of bananas and sells them for $25. Life was getting boring with fewer humans visiting our carnival until Ruby came to live with Stella. I didn't know if Stella's bad foot would keep her from teaching the young elephant about life in the cage, and her injury seemed to be getting worse. I then made her a promise that I'm not sure how to keep.

The story is told by Ivan, as he becomes motivated to escape the complacency of his life. The simple lives of animals are contrasted with the unpredictability of humans. Humans can be kind and helpful, but they can also be heartless and cruel. Luckily, George and his daughter are good people. The book might make you wonder what's going on inside the minds of animals. Gorillas are some of the most intelligent creatures in the world, and the author endows Ivan with human logic and feelings. Primates have been taught to communicate with humans, but this book has Ivan teach himself. It's a key aspect of the plot's solution. He had compassion for the other animals in the carnival and felt especially protective toward Stella. Caring for others often benefits everyone involved. Overall, this book is a shortish, easy read and will touch the heartstrings for animal lovers. I recommend you give it a shot.