The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate

Title: The One and Only Ruby

Author: Katherine Applegate

Genre: Climate Fiction

Publisher: HarperCollins Australia

Published: 7^th June 2023

Format: Paperback

Pages: 240

Price: $16.99

Synopsis: From beloved powerhouse author Katherine Applegate comes The One and Only Ruby, starring the adorable baby elephant from the Newbery Medal-winning modern classic The One and Only Ivan and its bestselling sequel, The One and Only Bob.
Ruby’s story picks up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob. Now living in a wildlife sanctuary, Ruby’s caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa where she grew up is visiting. Seeing him again brings back a flood of memories both happy and sad of her life before the circus, and she recounts the time she spent in the African savannah to Ivan and Bob.

In the timeless way that only Katherine Applegate could craft, this highly anticipated novel in verse is the perfect mix of heartfelt and humorous, poignant and sweet.

~*~

Ruby is facing her Tuskday at the wildlife sanctuary she has been at since she was rescued from Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade – but she doesn’t want to get her tusks – she hates them, but doesn’t want to talk to anyone about it, because her aunts at the sanctuary are very excited about it, and have been calling her Tusky. One day, Ruby hears a familiar voice – her caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa, Jabori, has arrived, and is happy to see her. Ruby is happy to see him, but his presence also reminds her of her life in Africa, and slowly, she tells her friends, Ivan and Bob about the time she spent in Africa, and why she doesn’t want her tusks – the truth about what happened to her mother, and the rest of her herd during a drought, and because of poachers.

Ruby’s story illustrates the dangers of climate change and poachers upon natural habitats of animals like elephants in Africa and what happens when they lose their habitats and families. Africa has many animal sanctuaries and elephant orphanages like the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust that help care for orphaned elephants and protect them from poachers and raising them to live in the wild again. Another place that helps elephants that I have visited is Bayete Zulu Lodges – Rambo and Rachel, who were orphaned during a herd cull, and they ran away from the cullers – much like Ruby runs whenever she can. When they wandered into the camp, the cullers calmed them down to deal with them in the morning, but because Rachel and Rambo had bonded with the humans, they weren’t culled. Instead, they were reared at Hwange National Park, and when they went to another game reserve, they misbehaved and couldn’t live in the wild. So, in the late 1990s, they arrived at Bayete Zulu, where they live permanently and spend their days with their human companions who walk around the game reserve with them all day and help teach people about elephant culls and what can happen when the elephants become dependent on humans during a one-hour elephant interaction. Like Ruby, they get to live somewhere they can be themselves but because of their past, they will never be wild again. Ruby’s story is touching – much like Rachel and Rambo’s, and despite their different beginnings – Rachel and Rambo due to culling, and Ruby’s story starts with climate change and poaching, the real-life story and the fictional story teach readers how special elephants are.

Ruby’s story is part of a series called The One and Only Ivan, yet to me it was one of those stories where I was able to read it without knowing the first stories, though it can be fun to know them. To me, it was Ruby’s story and she told me everything I needed to know- and that’s one of the things I liked about it. Ruby’s voice was genuine, and her feelings and emotions made the story evocative. It is also a very important story to tell – to let people of all ages know about poaching and conservation, and that animals don’t belong in a circus. Zoos and sanctuaries like the one Ruby is at or Taronga Zoo in Sydney that help animals through all sorts of means are where we can help save these animals, but they should really be in the wild as much as possible. I loved reading this book and hearing the voice of an elephant and how she interacted with her world. The trauma she went through is clear and laid out quite directly – and I think this will show people who read this book that it is beneficial to talk about what is worrying you. Talking about it like Ruby does with her friends and one of her aunts can be beneficial and help you work out how to face what you are having trouble dealing with. Books like this are educational and entertaining, and great to begin conversations about mental health and environmental issues. Being able to see these issues through the eyes of an animal like an elephant show effectively that there are very real effects from climate change and poaching – we get to understand how these issues are affecting the animals who will feel it the most, and I think this is a very powerful message to send readers of this book.

I hope that Ruby finds lots of fans – she is a lot of fun and will be happy to meet you.