Common Sense Media Review
By Jan Carr
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Poignant, sensitive story of captive gorilla builds empathy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
IVAN: THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA is a nonfiction book for older picture book readers. It's based on the true story of a gorilla, Ivan, who was captured as a youth in Africa and transported to Tacoma, Washington. His jungle childhood with his family is contrasted with his life in his subsequent, human family, who fed him ice cream and took him to baseball games. But when Ivan grew too big to be comfortably accommodated, he was moved to a cage in a shopping mall, where he served as an attraction to lure shoppers. Ivan spent many lonely years in the cage with little stimulation until people rallied to his cause and protested his conditions. Due to the publicity, he was transported to a gorilla habitat in Zoo Atlanta, where he was slowly integrated into an environment with other gorillas.
Is It Any Good?
Ivan is excellent, the perfect vehicle for introducing young children to sensitive questions about wildlife and our relationship to nature. Though it's nonfiction, it's told as gently as a story, and children are given the opportunity to see Ivan's experiences through his own eyes, providing lots of opportunities for empathy. G. Brian Karas' art is a perfect match, warm and child-friendly, expressively portraying Ivan's emotions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about animals and how they're different from people. What are they like in the wild? What is captivity like for them?
How is this book different from other books you've read about animals?
What can you do when you see injustice? What did the kids in the story do? Were they successful? How, and why? Do you ever see things that you think are unjust? What are they?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : G. Brian Karas
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Friendship , STEM , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Clarion Books
- Publication date : October 7, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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