Just So Stories

Harper Collins Australia

• ISBN: 9780008702465
• ISBN 10: 0008702462
• Imprint: HarperCollins GB
• RRP: $17.99

All good things must come to an end so they say [and of course, as a Buddhist, I do know that everything is impermanent], but I am, along with many others I have no doubt, sad to say goodbye to Ivan and his friends, and now family. It has given me such pleasure to review all the Ivan books since I first started hearing so much delighted chatter about the first from American colleagues especially.

And the real story behind Ivan’s history made me cry…and still does. The anguish at his sad early years but then the joy that he finally was able to live the best life he could, being nurtured and loved by so many.

Now the quartet is complete as Ivan comes full circle from his tragic capture as an infant to being the proud father of twins, with his mate, Kinyani. Ivan, in his new role as the silverback of not only his troop but with his own offspring, reflects on his history, coming to terms with the losses and grief but appreciative of the joys and safety of his situation. He is finally able to reconcile the absence of true freedom for the known protection of the zoo, not only for his own sake but for his infant twins, who bring such unexpected joy and worry! to his life.

Although in real life at Zoo Atlanta, Ivan was never observed mating with any of the females and did not sire any offspring, he did appear to be quite smitten with deaf female Kinyani, and they spent time together until Kinyani went to Columbus Zoo in 2011, a year before Ivan passed away.

Katherine Applegate, who brought the world’s attention to Ivan’s history, through her first book, has created a fictional conclusion that fans will adore whole-heartedly, just as I did.

Since writing some teaching notes recently for a picture book focused on silverbacks and gorillas, I have discovered even more about these remarkable animals, and can only despair when I think how dreadful Ivan’s long incarceration at the shopping mall must have been for him.

Thank goodness for those who rallied to save him from that awful imprisonment and enabled the second (almost) half of his life to be far more humane, though he did struggle at first to adapt to life outside his enclosure.

What a triumph this series has been and how many readers have been introduced to not only Ivan and his troop (both gorilla and others) but have been empowered in empathy and kindness. Thank you Katherine Applegate for sharing Ivan, Stella, Ruby and, of course, Bob with all of us. If you’ve not seen the movie adaptation, it is certainly worth a look – though really, the book is better [goes without saying really!]. This one, and the entire series gets a huge 🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍 rating. I’m going to miss the entire gang but so happy I had the opportunity to spend time with them all.

At the request of Ivan’s original owners, his remains were cremated and sent to Tacoma, Washington. Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and the Friends of Ivan commissioned this bronze sculpture in his memory.