57 pages • 1 hour read
Katherine ApplegateThe One and Only Family
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Series Context: The One and Only Series
The One and Only Family is the fourth book in the One and Only series. All four books follow Ivan and his best friends, Bob and Ruby, as they navigate what it means to be an animal in a world run by humans. The documentary and Ivan’s internal monologue from The One and Only Family recall events from the first book in the series, The One and Only Ivan (2012). Captive in the zoo arcade, a younger Ivan struggles with the pain of being isolated from his peers and poor treatment from humans who view him as little more than a money-making attraction. Through the relationships he builds with Bob and Ruby, as well as the girl who eventually adopts Bob, Ivan learns the importance of friendship and the power of trust, even in the darkest times.
The importance of friendship is also explored in the second book, The One and Only Bob (2020). Narrated by Bob the dog, the book follows the friends on the search for Bob’s lost sister. Like Ivan, Bob has had a difficult past and has been betrayed by cruel humans. In his installment, Bob ventures forward with the trust and support of his animal friends. He learns that there are kind humans, which allows him to heal from the pain of his past.
The third installment in the series, The One and Only Ruby (2023), follows young Ruby the elephant, who was also a captive of the arcade zoo. Now living in the zoo park where The One and Only Family takes place, Ruby finds herself among other elephants for the first time in years. On the cusp of adulthood, Ruby struggles with becoming an adult due to feeling afraid and childlike. Confiding in her new family helps her overcome her past; she is able to accept the growth of her tusks as part of who she is, rather than a weakness that puts her at the mercy of humans.
The One and Only Family shows these three characters after the culmination of their journeys. As Ivan faces the new challenge of parenthood, he counts on his friends like he always has, highlighting the bonds they have forged despite their time as captives in poor conditions.
Cultural Context: The Relationship Between Animals and Humans
In The One and Only Family, as well as the rest of the series, Applegate uses animal perspectives to offer an opposing viewpoint to that of how humans view animals. Doing research for The One and Only Ivan jumpstarted her interest in giving a voice to animals who are at the mercy of human control. The book is based on a real-life gorilla named Ivan who, like the fictional character, spent nearly 30 years in captivity at a circus-themed mall in Tacoma, Washington. Applegate’s Ivan was taken from his home in the wild after poachers killed his family; this highlights the negative role that humans play in animals’ lives, as well as how human greed destroys lives and ecosystems.
In an interview, Applegate discussed her interest in exploring animal cruelty: “I am inspired by what makes me mad. What motivated me in Ivan was that I never imagined that an animal could be mistreated like that for so many years. Humans are capable of such horrific behavior and yet can have so much compassion” (Lodge, Sally. “Terms of Anthropomorphism: PW Talks With Katherine Applegate.” Publishers Weekly, 28 Mar. 2023).
The series highlights the nuances of human behavior and the complex relationship between humans and wildlife. On the one hand, humans destroyed Ivan’s home. On the other, humans created his new home, and Ivan has a positive relationship with his human caretakers. In the series, humans are, by necessity, the solution to the very problems they cause.
However, Applegate also suggests that humans create flawed solutions, regardless of how much they try to help. Through Ivan’s frustration with his simulated wild home, Applegate implies that a simulated home is different from allowing animals to be safe in their natural habitats. In the same interview, she noted,
I hate to witness animals in captivity—or see circus elephants paraded down the streets. When animals are caged, it’s a loss of what they are. Of course zoos are not a perfect solution, but it’s what we’ve come up with. Fortunately, the zoo where Ivan ended up is a wonderful place—but even that isn’t perfect (Lodge).
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