The One And Only Bob is a Novel by K. A. Applegate, and the sequel to The One and Only Ivan.
Much has changed since the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade closed down. Ivan and Ruby are in Wildworld Zoological Park and Sanctuary, where they're looked after by caring people, and around others of their own species. And as for Bob, he's found himself a new home with Julia and her parents, George and Sara. He finds it to be a comfortable existence. Three square meals, belly rubs on demand, all that stuff. It would be perfect if not for the neighbourhood poodle, Snickers, and Nutwit, the squirrel living in his family's tree.
One day, Julia and her family, along with Bob, head to the sanctuary to see Ivan and Ruby. Bob manages to get in some chat time with them, but unfortunately, something terrible happens.
Hurricane Gus was scheduled to be moving through the area for some time now. And while Julia, Bob, and their family are in the park, it decides to hit, sending Bob flying across the park into the giraffe exhibit, causing multiple animals to be released, and causing mass chaos. Now, Bob needs to survive the storm, and in the process, meet up with someone he never expected, but always hoped, to see again.
The book was published on May 5th, 2020.
The One And Only Bob contains examples of:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Snickers becomes one to Bob after they confess their feelings for each other in the pound.
- Ascended Extra: Bob is given a bigger role and his relationship with Ivan, Julia and her family, along with his sister, Boss is more fleshed out. Justified, as
Word of God claims to have written a sequel of Ivan, focusing on Bob, as per reader request. - Bring My Brown Pants: Bob wets himself in fear after he is caught in a tornado.
- Call a Rabbit a "Smeerp": Dogs have lots of different names for things that they do. There's a list of them at the beginning, much like the first book.
- Character Narrator: The story is told from Bob's perspective. The audiobook version is even narrated by Danny DeVito, who voiced the character in the The One and Only Ivan film.
- Cowardly Lion: Bob. He's scared out of his mind, and every cell in his body wants him to save himself, but he still risks his life to save his nephew from a flooding river.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Bob and his family were practically homeless before he and his brothers and sisters were taken away from their mother by Animal Control, with Bob and Boss as the only survivors. When he hears Boss's bark, he tries to rescue her, but quickly denies with the fear of being killed. He then struggles to survive in the streets, eventually finding the Big Top Mall and staying with Ivan before becoming adopted by Julia.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Everyone with the exception of Keamu has this after the hurricane, but Bob, now living with newly-adopted nephew, Rowdy, is still unsatisfied due to believing that his sister is lost from the flood. Implied in that he reunites with her at the end when she appears at his doorstep.
- Full-Name Ultimatum: Bob gets called "Robert" by Julia when he misbehaves.
- Honorary Uncle: Ruby, an elephant, calls Bob "Uncle Bob", and Ivan, gorilla, "Uncle Ivan". Also, Ivan is seen as this by the other baby gorillas in their habitat.
- Rising Water, Rising Tension: When the pound starts getting flooded, and the water level starts rising, Bob takes charge. He has the other animals stack the belongings in their cages so they can have something to lean against, allowing them to keep their heads above the water.
