Her book, The One and Only Ivan, won the prestigious Newbery Medal in 2013. Inspired by a real gorilla, the novel tells the story of Ivan, a silverback who spent 27 years in captivity at a shopping mall. McKinley students and staff read The One and Only Ivan throughout March and April as part of the school’s “One Book, One McKinley” program. During this time, students also read and learned more about Katherine Applegate’s other books; researched gorillas in the wild; participated in a fundraiser to support gorilla conservation; and created art, poetry, and more in celebration of the book and its characters. During her visit, Ms. Applegate spoke with students in grades K-6 about the real Ivan, gorillas and their lives in the wild, what it’s like to be a writer, winning the Newbery Medal, and her other writing projects. It was an amazing, special experience for McKinley readers!
Photos show:
McKinley students raised enough money to adopt four gorillas in Africa, including a silverback! … Sixth graders decorate a welcome banner with artwork and messages for the author … Second grade APEX students researched gorillas in the wild … Katherine Applegate shares stories about the real Ivan with students in first grade … Author Katherine Applegate signed many books for McKinley readers! … Author and Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate … Katherine Applegate answers questions from students in fourth grade … Katherine Applegate compares herself to a life-sized gorilla, courtesy of our interactive bulletin board … Katherine Applegate with McKinley’s librarian, Lauren Strohecker.