Pages 1-14

• Ivan mentions that being a gorilla isn't as "easy as it looks." (p. 1) What does he mean by this? Do gorillas have it easy? Why or why not? Are there some species that "have it easy" compared to others?

• The giant sign depicts Ivan as "an angry animal with fierce eyese and unkept hair." (p. 9) How does this description differ from what we've seen of Ivan's character so far? Why might the artiist have done this? Why wouldn't the artist paint a sign to reflect the real Ivan?

• From page 14:

Sometimes I press my nose against the glass. My noseprint, like your fingerprints, is the first and last and only one. 

The man wipes the glass and then I am gone. 

Though this chapter is only a page, why is it significant? What does it tell you about Ivan, both as a character and how he lives with his circumstances?

Pages 15-29

• Art is, in many ways, a form of escape for Ivan. He claims his drawings aren't "dreamy" and are even "pale and timid" in comparison to Julia's, but that's OK. Let's get deep, here: what is art to you? Does it have to be something bright and perfect? What is your favorite art to create? If you don't have one, what is an art form you'd love to explore in the future?

• Ivan, at the end of page 20, says, "I've learned not to get my hopes up." Given what you know about Ivan's circumstances, why is this such an important skill for Ivan to practice? On the other hand, can never getting your hopes up be a bad thing? Is ther a way to find balance between the two?

• According to Ivan, "With enough time, you can get used to almost anything." (p. 22) Is this true? Have you actually experienced this yourself? What have you gotten used to with time? Is there anything that you don't think you'd get used to even in a million years?

Pages 30-45

• We finally get to meet another dear friend of Ivan--Bob! Ivan notices that: "Bob's tail makes me dizzy and confused. It has meanings within meanings, like human words." (p. 35) What is so confusing about Bob's tail? Do humans have a part of their bodies that might make feelings seem complicated? If so, what is it?

• Mack calls Ivan "Picasso" (p. 38). Do you think this is a positive or negative nickname? Could it be both? In what ways?

• What makes Julia different from any of the other people who come to visit Ivan? How might the novel change if Ivan didn't have this human connection?

Pages 46-59

• Bob "will not let humans touch him" (p. 47) and yet he lets Julia pet him. How is Julia different? What does Bob's trust in her tell you about Julia's character? Give at least three examples. 

• As we learn in this chapter, "Stella remembers every moment since she was born" (p. 53). Elephants are known for their incredible memory. Are there any drawbacks to remembering everything? Would you prefer to remember your whole life like an elephant or have a human memory? Explain your answer. 

• Mack can't see that Ivan's drawing is really a picture of a beetle, but Julia can. What do you think it meant to Ivan for Julia to recognize the subject of his drawing? Have you ever connected with another person in this way? What did that recognition mean to you?