The One and Only Ruby

by Katherine Applegate

Part of The One and Only, book 3

First published 2023

Ruby lives at a wildlife sanctuary now, several months after Bob's adventure ended. Her world shifts when her former caretaker arrives from the African elephant orphanage where she once lived. His presence unlocks a torrent of memories she had tucked away. Ruby finds herself caught between two worlds as she remembers her early days in the African savannah before the circus changed everything. She shares these stories with Ivan and Bob, revisiting moments of joy alongside painful losses. The memories force Ruby to confront her past while she builds her future in this new home. Through her recollections, she discovers how her African childhood shaped who she became and what it means to belong somewhere.

Genres: fiction, animals, family-life, contemporary

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: found-family, revisiting-the-past

Setting: Africa, African Elephant Orphanage, Wildlife Sanctuary

Period: Several Months After Bob's Adventure

210 pages · Hardcover · Storytide

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