Children's Audiobooks · Teen & Young Adult
The One and Only Ivan
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The #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan is now a major motion picture streaming on Disney+This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself. Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle.
Recommendation DNA i
Provisional Recommendation DNAThis Recommendation DNA profile brings together the strongest supported traits we have for the book and listening experience. Evidence Confidence is shown separately so you can see how much of that picture is tied to this exact audiobook.
The DNA score and trait strengths summarize what the available evidence says about fit and experience—not popularity or customer ratings.
Evidence Confidence
Why this matters →- The book itself is well identified and supported across independent sources.
- We still have limited information tied to this exact recording or edition.
- We have recording-specific performance commentary or analyzed audio for this audiobook.
We have a useful picture of the audiobook, though some listening and edition-specific details are still becoming clearer.
Evidence Snapshot i
These cards measure different things in the same evidence pool, so they are not meant to add together. Retained Evidence counts unique saved records; discussions and networks count independent groups; narration and edition cards count only records qualified for those specific jobs.
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Supporting sources 12
What this means
Unique evidence records that remain after filtering and deduplication. The larger evidence-signal total shown below can be higher because one retained record may support several separate facts or observations.
Source groups 9
What this means
Separate reviews, forums, interviews, or conversations, with duplicates kept from inflating the total.
Networks 35
What this means
Different platforms and publications represented in the research behind this page.
Supporting sources 2
What this means
Performance evidence that can actually describe how this narrator sounds or performs this recording. Identity records, narrator biographies, sample links, and awards are useful context but do not count here on their own.
Supporting sources 3
What this means
Sources tied to the audiobook recording itself, such as verified product or catalog records that help resolve narrator, runtime, format, release information, or stable recording identifiers.
What this means
The most recent date this page’s saved evidence picture was refreshed and checked.
A larger evidence pool gives us more to work with, but volume alone does not make a conclusion stronger. Relevance and independence still matter.
What the Evidence Adds
Useful context the synopsis doesn’t cover — patterns that may help you decide whether this book is your kind of read or listen.
Emotional Impact
Emotional stakes are a noticeable part of the book, rather than the story operating only at the level of plot or ideas.
Built from 236 retained source records across 90 independent discussions and 22 source networks.
Narrator Experience
How Adam Grupper performs this particular recording.
How we build this section
Performance summary
In the verified sample, Adam Grupper is heard with steady pacing, clear enunciation, expressive animal characterization differentiation between the deliveries heard, and balanced expressiveness. These excerpt-level observations are combined with recording-specific listener evidence, so the profile stays cautious about qualities the short sample cannot demonstrate across the full audiobook.
This description is based on evidence specific to this recording.Verified against the exact title, author, and narrator. Opens the Amazon sample page.
Performance at a glance
What the qualified evidence says about this narrationAudio observations reflect a short verified sample and are combined with recording-specific performance evidence.
What this means for your listen
Early performance evidence points this way: the steady or measured pace should feel easy to settle into; listeners who prefer brisk delivery may find it more deliberate. Clear or careful diction should make dialogue, names, and unfamiliar terms easier to follow over a longer listen.
Explore the full narration analysis
Evidence behind this section
Counts describe support for this narrator/recording, not a quality score.Why we describe the performance this way
We use evidence tied specifically to this recording. Repeated observations across independent sources carry more weight than isolated comments. Narrator background and career recognition can add useful context, but they do not determine how this performance is described.
Narrator tendencies Across other supported work
View source groups 7 groups · 32 records
What It Feels Like to Listen
How this works
What this means
The story moves at a fairly steady rate, without the evidence clearly pointing to either a slow burn or a particularly fast ride.
Why it appears: Book information and independent reader or listener observations that speak directly to this trait; recording-specific claims are kept separate unless they are actually supported.
What this means
This is the emotional atmosphere readers most often encounter in the story — the mood you are likely to spend the most time in.
Why it appears: Book information and independent reader or listener observations that speak directly to this trait; recording-specific claims are kept separate unless they are actually supported.
What this means
The story appears to carry substantial emotional weight, with moments that can feel especially affecting or difficult.
Why it appears: Book information and independent reader or listener observations that speak directly to this trait; recording-specific claims are kept separate unless they are actually supported.
What this means for you: The story offers a gentle, emotionally absorbing journey, using clear language and short sections to explore friendship, hope, art, and responsibility. Its warmth is accompanied by sadness, so it suits listeners who want a thoughtful children’s story rather than a carefree romp.
Built from the saved evidence most relevant to these listening traits; some traits are supported more strongly than others.
Listener Themes
How themes are identified
Public response is strongly favorable about the story’s emotional force and writing, with recurring appreciation for its memorable animal relationships and accessible complexity. Discussion is less uniform about pacing and tone: many find the movement balanced, while some experience the short sections as choppy or the subject matter…
Evidence sources for these themes
Based on themes repeated across 115 independent discussions and 35 source networks.
Where Listeners Agree
The strongest agreement centers on emotional impact and pace. The leading theme appears across 8 independent discussions and 10 source networks, which makes it more than a one-off reaction. Tone and story quality also recur, adding useful secondary context to why the listening experience works for people who respond to it.
The strongest theme is independently supported across 8 discussions and 10 source networks.
Evidence sources for agreement
Is This Right for You?
You’ll probably enjoy this if…
- Children and families seeking an emotionally meaningful animal story
- Listeners who enjoy friendship, hope, and moral questions presented accessibly
- Readers who appreciate simple prose with deeper themes underneath
- Adults looking for a short, poignant middle-grade novel
It might not be the best fit if…
- Anyone wanting a purely comic or action-driven children’s adventure
- Readers who dislike stories involving sadness, loss, or animal welfare concerns
- Listeners who find short, segmented chapters distracting
Best listening context
- Family or classroom discussion
- A short, focused listening session
- Reflective downtime
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The One and Only RubyOur Take
This is an emotionally powerful children’s novel that balances plain, accessible language with questions larger than its age range suggests. Its strongest appeal lies in the bond among its animal characters, the hopeful movement toward change, and the way art becomes part of the story’s emotional language. Readers who prefer brisk, conventionally plotted adventures may find the segmented structure uneven, while those drawn to tender, reflective animal fiction are likely to remember it. Narration evidence is promising but more limited than the story-level evidence.
See what supports this take →Runtime & Edition Details
- Runtime
- 3 hours and 46 minutes
- Format
- Unabridged audiobook
- Publisher
- Storytide
- Audiobook release date
- March 14, 2013
- Language
- English
- ASIN
- B00BJ85XP4
Before You Listen
- Expect sadness alongside the humor and hope
- Be aware that the short, segmented structure may feel either brisk or choppy depending on preference
- The audiobook is in English and runs approximately 3 hours and 46 minutes
Why You Can Trust This Recommendation
- Identity and edition signals are checked separately
- Independent discussions and source networks are counted distinctly
- Narration claims require edition- or narrator-specific support
- Unsupported information is withheld instead of displayed as a zero score
236 evidence records remain in the research set behind this page after filtering and deduplication.
See contributing sources
FAQ
Is this audiobook likely to be emotionally difficult?
Yes, although the language remains accessible and the overall direction is hopeful. Readers frequently describe the story as moving or heartbreaking, so it may prompt strong feelings, especially for children sensitive to animal suffering or loss.
Does the story work for adults as well as children?
The available response suggests it does. Readers praise its layered emotional and ethical questions, while also finding the prose simple enough for younger audiences.
What should I expect from the structure?
The book uses brief sections and concise language. Many readers find the story’s movement balanced and engaging, but some find the short, choppy units disruptive to the flow.
Is Adam Grupper’s narration character-focused?
Available commentary points to expressive treatment of the animal cast, including a world-weary Bob and a childlike Ruby, along with warmth and sincerity in the overall delivery. The evidence supports a cautious positive impression rather than a complete edition-wide assessment.
Is this a long audiobook?
No. The identified English, unabridged edition runs approximately 3 hours and 46 minutes.
Ready to experience The One and Only Ivan?
Continue to this audiobook’s current verified edition and availability.