The One and Only Bob

By: Katherine Applegate

5/5 Friends

The One and Only Bob follows Ivan's best friend, Bob, as he navigates his new life. Originally a street dog, Bob has one motto: look out for yourself and only yourself. After being adopted by Sara, George, and Julia, Bob is determined to still keep his stray dog mentality. He wants to be tough, but he must admit - it's nice to have food, cuddles, and warmth.

One thing Bob will admit to needing is his friends. He gets the opportunity to visit Ivan and Ruby whenever Julia decides to go to the zoo. The only unfortunate part is that Bob and Julia must pass the shelter on the way. Each time they pass, Bob listens for one specific bark: the bark of his long-lost sister. When a hurricane hits the town, Bob, Ruby, and Ivan go on an adventure to find the bark that haunts Bob.

I won't lie, I procrastinated reading this book because I knew it was going to make me emotional. I cried countless times reading The One and Only Ivan, so I could safely assume the same would happen with The One and Only Bob. Spoiler alert: it did. I had to put the book down multiple times to go cuddle my four dogs because Bob was such a touching narrator.

This book is a lot different than Applegate's first. You can tell that it's purely fiction, whereas The One and Only Ivan did focus on some true facts and characters. With that said, The One and Only Bob is still a must read! I think it would be a great read for families thinking about adopting a pet or for children who are passionate about dogs. Of course, I think anyone would love this book, but dog lovers especially. 100% recommend this book!