Katherine Applegate Collection 6 Books Set by Katherine Applegate - Fiction - Paperback

Titles in This Set:
One and Only Ivan
The One and Only Bob
The One and Only Ruby
The One and Only Family
Crenshaw
Wombat Waiting

Condition: BRAND NEW
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9789123863921

Overview:
Dive into a six-book collection from the acclaimed storyteller Katherine Applegate, thoughtfully curated for readers who crave heart, humour, and humanity. This paperback set brings together stories that centre animal protagonists and human friendships, each book offering a complete, standalone experience while sharing a common thread of resilience, kindness, and the power of unlikely bonds. From Ivan the gorilla discovering a wider world beyond his gallery walls to Crenshaw the imaginary cat helping a family facing uncertainty, these novels invite empathy, courage, and reflection. The tone is accessible for confident middle-grade readers, with moments of charm, tension, and warmth that linger long after the last page. Featuring award-winning storytelling and vivid character voices, this collection is ideal for curious minds, thoughtful readers, and gifting occasions that celebrate growth, imagination, and everyday heroism. A brilliant way to build a lifelong reading habit and a bookshelf-worthy keepsake all at once.

What Makes This Collection Special:
This six-book set is more than a sum of its parts: it creates a cohesive reading journey through the intertwined themes of friendship, family, resilience, and finding your place in the world. Applegate’s signature animal-led perspectives invite readers to see ordinary life through extraordinary hearts, delivering gentle yet persuasive messages about belonging and responsibility. The collection blends standalone adventures with recurring emotional through-lines, making it perfect for binge-reading, classroom discussions, and building a personal library that grows with the reader. The compact paperback format keeps pages turning and shelves tidy, while the shared authorial voice ensures a consistent, immersive reading experience from cover to cover. A thoughtful gift for fans of uplifting, character-driven fiction and animal-centered storytelling.

Books Included in This Collection:
One and Only Ivan
In this moving tale told from Ivan’s own perspective, a gentle gorilla living in a shopping-mall enclosure discovers the meaning of freedom when a baby elephant named Ruby enters his life. This story, rooted in a real-life inspiration, blends warmth with quiet sorrow and a hopeful path forward. It’s a touching primer on empathy, courage, and the power of friendship to change a life, making it a perfect entry point for readers new to Applegate’s work.

The One and Only Bob
Bob’s journey to find his long-lost sister unfolds against a backdrop of looming danger and the unwavering support of his friends, Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time runs short, Bob’s courage and loyalty come to the fore, revealing that family isn’t just blood—it's the people who stand by you when it matters most. This companion to Ivan deepens themes of resilience, trust, and the quiet bravery of everyday moments.

The One and Only Ruby
Ruby’s story continues a few months after the events of Bob, detailing life in a wildlife sanctuary and memories of her early life in Africa. As her caretaker visits, Ruby reflects on both joy and loss from her savannah days, offering readers a heartfelt glimpse into identity, belonging, and the enduring bonds between friends across continents.

The One and Only Family
Ivan’s world expands to welcome new members and a sense of shared life. Living beside Ruby and visiting by Bob, Ivan’s life grows richer as he and his partner Kinyani welcome twins into their wildlife sanctuary family. This title broadens the emotional landscape, exploring family dynamics, parenting, and the joy that can come from a community built on trust and companionship.

Crenshaw
In a portrait of urban hardship, ten-year-old Jackson faces the fear of losing his home. Crenshaw—the big, humorous imaginary cat—returns as a guardian in imagination, helping him process worry and keep hope alive. The story sensitively handles housing insecurity while celebrating imagination, resilience, and the enduring bond between a child and a fantastical ally who speaks to courage when real life feels overwhelming.

Wombat Waiting
Wombat, a “destiny dog” with a voice she calls her inner guidance, discovers a terrible fire and a path toward a destined person. This tale blends warmth with grit, highlighting the power of loyalty, purpose, and the quiet moments of connection that reveal a person’s true match in life. A hopeful, compassionate exploration of fate, companionship, and the journey to belonging.

Who This Set Is Perfect For:
Young readers ages 9+ who love animal-led adventures, family dynamics, and hopeful, character-driven stories will treasure this collection. It’s ideal for parents seeking thoughtful reads that spark empathy and discussion, teachers building a humane-literature unit, and gift buyers looking for a complete, premium collection that supports gradual reading progress and ongoing engagement. Fans of gentle realism with heart—where courage, loyalty, and found family shine—will find multiple entry points here, whether starting with Ivan’s world or exploring the standalone tales that still feel wonderfully linked by theme and voice.

Key Benefits:

• Six engaging, standalone novels packaged as a cohesive, collectible set
• Animal-centered perspectives that foster empathy and environmental awareness
• Accessible, age-appropriate storytelling with emotional depth
• Ideal for family reading, classroom discussions, and book clubs
• Great value for a complete author-led collection
• Beautiful, durable paperback format for long-term shelf appeal
• Gifting appeal for readers transitioning from early chapters to more complex stories
• Consistent voice and tone across titles, perfect for binge-reading

About the Author:
Katherine Applegate is a celebrated author of children’s and middle-grade fiction, renowned for humane, animal-led narratives that blend warmth with insightful social themes. Her writing delivers accessible prose, memorable characters, and emotional resonance, making difficult topics understandable and meaningful for young readers. Applegate’s work often centers on friendship, resilience, and ethical choices, inviting readers to consider perspective, kindness, and the impact of small decisions. This collection showcases her distinctive voice—compassionate, witty, and quietly powerful—sharing stories that encourage empathy, courage, and a lifelong love of reading.

Why You’ll Love This Set:
This fully-realised six-book collection offers immediate value: a complete reading journey from a beloved author, reinforced by shared themes and a unified reading experience. Owning the full set simplifies gifting, shelf display, and classroom planning, while providing a reliable path for young readers to grow more confident with longer, emotionally rich novels. The stories’ warmth, humor, and resilience make them repeat-rereads that families will revisit together, turning browsers into buyers who see lasting value in this premium collection.

Please Note: The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.