The One and Only Ivan Ending Explained

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Spoiler warning: this post explains the full ending of The One and Only Ivan. If you have not finished the book, stop here and come back later.

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Quick answer: Ivan, a silverback gorilla who has lived for twenty-seven years in a cage at a shopping-mall circus, keeps his promise to the dying elephant Stella to rescue the baby elephant Ruby. He paints a picture spelling “HOME” that draws public attention, and Ivan and Ruby are moved to a zoo where they can live with others of their kind.

Quick facts

– Book: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

– First published: 2012

– Type: A middle-grade novel

– Tone of the ending: Hopeful

Table of Contents

What Leads Up to the Ending

Ivan lives at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, painting pictures that his owner Mack sells. His friends are Stella, an old elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. Julia, the daughter of the janitor George, gives Ivan crayons. Mack buys Ruby, a baby elephant, to draw crowds.

What Happens at the End of The One and Only Ivan

Stella, weak from an untreated foot infection, makes Ivan promise to get Ruby out of the mall. After Stella dies, Ivan remembers his early life in the jungle and finds courage. He paints many pieces that together show Ruby and a zoo-like place, and the letters H-O-M-E. Julia and her father George put the pieces together and hang them on the mall's billboard. News reporters and protesters arrive, and animal welfare groups get involved. The mall closes. Ruby goes to a zoo with other elephants, and Ivan is moved to a zoo habitat where he slowly meets other gorillas, including a female named Kinyani. Through a screen at the zoo, Ivan can see Ruby across the park. Bob is adopted by Julia's family.

The Ending in 4 Quick Points

Ivan keeps his promise.
Ruby is rescued.
Ivan finds a gorilla family.
Bob finds a home.

What Happens to the Main Characters

Character	What happens to them
Ivan	Moves to a zoo
Ruby	Moves to a zoo
Stella	Dies
Bob	Lives with Julia

What the Ending Means

The ending shows courage and compassion.

Themes the Ending Brings Together

Freedom. The animals gain better lives.

Friendship. Ivan, Stella, Bob and Ruby.

Art. Art changes minds.

Is the Ending Happy or Sad?

Most readers describe the ending of The One and Only Ivan as hopeful. How you feel about it usually depends on what you hoped for the characters and what you expected Katherine Applegate to do with the story, so it is worth asking friends how they felt before you compare notes.

Who Will Like This Ending

Readers who enjoy endings that are hopeful will find a lot to talk about here. If you prefer every thread tied up neatly, it helps to know in advance how Katherine Applegate closes the story, which is exactly why many readers look it up. Either way, the final chapters reward a second look once you know where everything is heading, because small details from the middle of the book start to matter. If you are reading with a group, agree beforehand whether everyone has finished, so nobody has the last chapters spoiled.

Book Versus Adaptation

The 2020 Disney+ film follows the main ending.

Discussion Questions About the Ending

If you are reading The One and Only Ivan with a book club or a friend, these questions work well once everyone has finished:

Did the ending surprise you, or had you seen it coming from the first chapters?
What does the final scene say about freedom, and do you agree with Katherine Applegate's view?
Which character made the most important choice in the last part of the book, and was it the right one?
How would the story feel if it had ended one chapter earlier or one chapter later?
Does the ending leave you hopeful about the characters, or do you worry about what comes next?
Would you describe the ending as hopeful, or would you choose a different word?

How to Read the Final Chapters Again

Compare the opening with the close. Look at how the first chapter introduces freedom and how the ending answers it.
Track each final choice. The table above shows where every main character ends up, so ask which of those outcomes was earned.
Notice what Katherine Applegate leaves unsaid. Gaps in the last pages are often deliberate, and they are where most of the debate about the ending begins.
Listen for echoes. Images, phrases or settings from earlier in The One and Only Ivan often return in the final scene with a new meaning.

Questions to Ask Yourself After Finishing

Was the ending of The One and Only Ivan earned by what came before it, or did it feel sudden?
Which character's final moment affected you most, and why?
If you could change one thing about the last chapters, what would it be?
Did the ending change how you think about the opening pages?

Check price of The One and Only Ivan on Amazon

Books to Read After The One and Only Ivan

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens at the end of The One and Only Ivan?

Ivan, a silverback gorilla who has lived for twenty-seven years in a cage at a shopping-mall circus, keeps his promise to the dying elephant Stella to rescue the baby elephant Ruby. He paints a picture spelling “HOME” that draws public attention, and Ivan and Ruby are moved to a zoo where they can live with others of their kind.

Is the ending of The One and Only Ivan happy or sad?

Most readers call it hopeful.

What does the ending of The One and Only Ivan mean?