The One and Only Ivan / Katherine Applegate / 300 p.

Sweet, sweet story that tugs at the heart strings. Ivan is a silverback gorilla who has lived a sad and solitary existence for decades in a cage in a mall. But he has a few other animal friends with whom he has bonded. The introduction of a new baby elephant to the mall's odd menagerie spurs Ivan to a bold move to work toward a better life for them all. This would be a great read-aloud--a couple of chapters at a time--for children around 7-10 years old. 2013 Newbery winner.