The One and Only Bob is a 2020 children's book by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by Patricia Castelao. It is a sequel to the 2013 book The One and Only Ivan.[1]
 | |
| Author | Katherine Applegate |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Patricia Castelao |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | May 5, 2020 |
| ISBN | 9780063041196 |
| Preceded by | The One and Only Ivan |
| Followed by | The One and Only Ruby |
| Website | www |
Synopsis
editThe book follows Bob, an abused stray dog who befriends a gorilla named Ivan and an elephant named Ruby. After being adopted by kind girl named Julia, Bob attempts to re-learn how to trust humans. After a hurricane wrecks his town, Bob runs away from home to find his long-lost sister, who was once presumed dead.
Reception
editJulie Jesernik, writing for School Library Journal, gave the book a starred review and wrote that "Bob’s story is delightfully heartfelt and adventurous. Castelao’s illustrations add additional beauty to the story."[2] Mary Eisenhart of Common Sense Media gave the book 5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "compelling, ultimately uplifting tale, told by a snarky, formerly abused dog who's still confused about it all".[3] Kirkus Reviews gave the book a starred review, praising the "wry doggy observations and attitude" of the main character.[4]
Leonard S. Marcus of The New York Times wrote that "Applegate’s sure grasp of the essence of dog nimbly guides the early chapters even as the balance of Bob’s inner concerns shifts decisively from canine to human with talk of guilt, cowardice, forgiveness." However, Marcus criticized the hurricane sequence as being bland and unnecessarily long.[5]
Sequel
editThe book was followed by The One and Only Ruby in 2023.[6]
References
edit- ^ Canfield, David (October 22, 2019). "Katherine Applegate to publish sequel The One and Only Bob next spring". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ Jesernik, Julie (May 1, 2020). "The One and Only Bob". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "The One and Only Bob: The One and Only, Book 2 Book Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "The One and Only Bob". Kirkus Reviews. March 24, 2020. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024.
- ^ Marcus, Leonard S. (May 30, 2020). "For Fans of Ivan, the Answer to 'What About Bob?'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved January 23, 2024.