This is a wonderful book, beautifully written, with several layers of meaning and message. It is the story of Ivan, a gorilla who was brought to the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Game Arcade while still a baby. The story is told through Ivan's point of view, and the reader learns of Ivan's other friends-- Stella, an elephant who is Ivan's oldest and best friend; Bob, a stray dog who likes to share Ivan's space and sleep on his chest; and Julia, the young daughter of the night custodian. It is Julia who understands Ivan's love of art and creating art, and she frequently supplies Ivan with paper, crayons, and paints that she pushes through a hole in Ivan's cage. Ivan is fairly content with his life until the arrival of Ruby-- a new baby elephant who is being added to the Big Top Mall. As Ivan begins to reexamine his situation through Ruby's eyes, he becomes less and less content, and begins to wonder about what else life might have to offer him. 
 The writing of Katherine Applegate is spare and appropriate, catching the "voice" of a gorilla, but also causing the reader to read "beyond the words" on the page. This is a book touching on themes such as friendship, responsibility, respect, creativity, loyalty, and conservation. I loved the book and highly recommend it