Cover of The One and Only Ruby

The One and Only Ruby

by Katherine Applegate

The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate is assigned in US schools at grades 2–5. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The One and Only Ruby is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 2–5
Age range
Ages 7–11
Pages
215
Reading time
about 3h 55m (est.)
First published
2023
Genre
Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13
9780063080102
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About this book

A companion to the Newbery-winning The One and Only Ivan, told by Ruby the elephant. As a special ceremony approaches, Ruby looks back on her early life and the people and animals who shaped her. Katherine Applegate writes about family, memory, and belonging. A recent winner of the Garden State Children's Book Award (grades 2-5), the New Jersey Library Association's statewide children's-choice award — children across NJ read the nominees and vote for their favorites.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fiction title, typically at grades 2–5. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on animals and family; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

animals · family · memory · belonging

Where this book is assigned

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The One and Only Ruby→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The One and Only Ruby?
The One and Only Ruby is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 2–5. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read The One and Only Ruby?
It takes about 3h 55m to read The One and Only Ruby (215 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 235 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The One and Only Ruby?
The One and Only Ruby appears on reading lists for Garden State Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The One and Only Ruby banned in schools?
The One and Only Ruby does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
What themes does The One and Only Ruby explore?
Central themes in The One and Only Ruby include animals, family, memory, belonging. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 2–5 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.