Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Lovable baby elephant Ruby is the delightful narrator of this follow-up to The One and Only Bob, which further chronicles the animal's difficult journey to the wildlife park and sanctuary where she now lives. As the story picks up, Ruby laments that "nobody ever listens to the littlest elephant," especially concerning her dreaded upcoming Tuskday celebration, a rite of passage that she has no interest in recognizing. Doted on by her adopted elephant "aunts," and counseled by gorilla Ivan, who lives in a nearby enclosure, and dog Bob, who visits regularly, Ruby is safe and surrounded by loved ones. But an unexpected visit awakens memories both welcome and harrowing, including those making her reluctant to celebrate her tusks. Ruby's playful yet sage voice traces the events that brought her from her unspecified African savanna home to the mall where she and Ivan previously lived, and, at last, to the sanctuary. With her trademark blend of frankness and hope, Applegate details dire circumstances facing elephants in the wild, including climate change and poaching, while elucidating their fierce loyalty and highlighting, via the three protagonists' unforgettable bond, myriad interspecies relationships. A concluding author's note offers further context. Ages 8--12. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (May)
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Review by Horn Book Review
After The One and Only Ivan (rev. 1/12) and The One and Only Bob (rev. 7/20), it's now young elephant Ruby's turn to tell her story. Having relocated to a new wildlife park in Florida (with Ivan, the silverback gorilla; and Bob, the wisecracking dog), Ruby has been adopted into a new elephant herd. Tuskday (the "traditional celebration after the arrival of a young elephant's tusks") is fast approaching, and she is exceptionally anxious about the rite of passage. Ruby gets an unexpected visitor one day when Jabori, who cared for her in an elephant orphanage in Africa, comes to visit. This joyful reunion provides the impetus for her to share the full story of her traumatic past, beginning with her mother being hunted and killed for her tusks. A conversation with the wise matriarch of the wildlife park's herd gives Ruby the courage to proceed with the Tuskday celebration. The book features Applegate's trademark verse-prose; appealing spot illustrations; and the hallmark themes of the series: adversity, trauma, friendship, resilience, and hope. An author's note discusses the plight of elephants in captivity and the continuing devastation of the ivory trade in the wild. (c) Copyright 2024. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this follow-up to 2020's The One and Only Bob, Ruby the elephant is still living at Wildworld Zoological Park and Sanctuary. She's apprehensive about her Tuskday, a rite of passage for young elephants when she'll give a speech in front of the rest of the herd. Luckily, she can confide in her Uncle Ivan, who is next door in Gorilla World, and Uncle Bob, the dog who lives nearby with human friend Julia. Ruby was born in an unspecified part of Africa, later ending up on display in the mall, where she met Ivan, Bob, and Julia. The unexpected arrival of someone from Ruby's past life on the savanna revives memories both warmly nostalgic and deeply traumatic. An elephant glossary and Castelao's charming, illustrated guide to elephant body language help immerse readers in Ruby's world. Goofy, playful, and mischievous Ruby is fully dimensional, as she has shown her bravery during the many hardships of her young life. Applegate deftly tempers themes of grief and loss with compassion and humor as Ruby finds her place in the herd. The author's note touches on climate change, the illegal ivory trade, and conservation efforts, but the highly emotive framing of the story through the memories of a bewildered baby elephant emphasizes the impact of lines such as " 'in Africa,' I say softly, 'there were bad people,' " without offering readers a nuanced understanding of the broader context that drives poaching. Certain to steal hearts. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
