Novel Study: The One and Only Ivan: Fact vs. Fiction

After students finish their novel, ask them to compare and contrast the story of Ivan’s life as told in Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan and her nonfiction picture book Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla. This worksheet gives readers the opportunity to understand what it means when a novel is “based on a true story” as they explore which parts of Ivan’s story are fact and which are fiction. First, they'll complete a chart by using details from both stories to highlight their similarities and differences. Then they'll use their knowledge of the stories to answer some questions. Click “View answers” to see sample student responses and context. And be sure to check out the set of worksheets for The One and Only Ivan.